After Ecbatana
by Baliansword
Summary: This story is what would have happened had Hephaestion not died in Ecbatana. Slash is included in some chapters. Also, there are OC characters. AxH slash
1. Sickness

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 1, "Sickness"

A/N: As we all know, Hephaestion died in Ecbatana after being –well, most of us agree he was poisoned. Others say it was an illness, but for this story I'm just going to stick with poison. Hephaestion's death seemed to cause most of the demise of Alexander, because out one, you had none. However –what if Hephaestion had never died? Would it have changed the outcome of history?

_I did not know at first whether or not my presence would soothe him. I desperately hoped that it would, for his very presence always soothed me. I entered the room, being as silent as I could, and there I saw my Hephaestion. For the first time, I saw his vulnerability, as well as mine. –Alexander the Great _

The king stepped into the room. Being the ruler of all of the known world should have been enough to make him feel strong. It should have given him a power, a presence, which no others had. Despite what being a king should have given him, he was shaking with fear, and sweating all the more. Quietly, holding back tears all the while, he sat down on a chair next to Hephaestion's bed.

"You haven't slept," Hephaestion said quietly. His breathing was still shallow, his lips lightly parted, making it easier to breathe. He looked worse than every man in the palace at the moment, but to Alexander, he was still the most beautiful creature alive.

"No," Alexander admitted. He reached out and took Hephaestion's hand. Even now he seemed to be the stronger of the two. Before Alexander could do anything Hephaestion was rubbing his thumb up and down the back of his hand.

"I worry for you," Hephaestion whispered. "Without me."

Even the suggestion of it was enough to make Alexander himself feel like the world he had known had suddenly fallen apart. He looked at his hand, wrapped in Hephaestion's, and let a tear fall. In fact, he let many tears fall. He then looked back up, at Hephaestion, who had turned his head and opened his eyes. Alexander loved everything about him. Yet if he had to choose but one thing that he loved the most, it would be those cerulean orbs, which never held a lie. They instead held love for only him.

"I have sent for better physicians," he insisted. "The others say that you are in a stable condition, for now. Nothing but water to drink and you yourself may recover before the other doctors get here."

Hephaestion let a soft smile touch his lips, "You will give up nothing will you, Alexander the Great?"

"I would give up everything for you," Alexander said. He continued to hold Hephaestion's hand. He noticed that it was slightly colder than his own, but it should not be, for Hephaestion had had a slight fever since yesterday.

"You go to Arabia in a month's time," Hephaestion continued, and purposely not saying _we_. For somehow he doubted that he would live to see the day. It hurt deeply, the thought of leaving Alexander behind. Yet at the same time, he knew that he would be waiting for Alexander, and they would meet again. Everything he had ever wanted in life he had, and he had shared it with Alexander, so dying by his side would not be so bad.

"We," Alexander corrected. He smiled softly. "You remember the Bedouins, don't you? I used to dress you as one. By the gods you were beautiful. You still are beautiful, my Hephaestion, and you always will be."

"I don't feel beautiful," he disagreed. "I feel terrible."

"You look it," Alexander said as he kissed his forehead. "Close your eyes now, you need rest."

"So do you."

"Last time I checked I was still King. In being king I get to make the rules. Now rest your eyes. I will tell you a story."

Hephaestion would have argued but he knew that he needed the sleep. Not to mention the fact that he loved any story Alexander had to tell him. As he closed his eyes he hoped that perhaps Alexander would tell him the story of Achilles and Patroclaus, just because it was his favorite. But as Alexander began to speak it really wasn't a story, it was a dream.

"Many think that I'm foolish for desiring the entire world. The wisest of men tell me I will not be able to control everyone. But that's not what I want to do Hephaestion. We freed so many people. And look at them now. People from Persia, and the people of Greece, and Macedonia, they all go to markets together. The cultures are blending Hephaestion.

"Look at the lands we have conquered. The dirt means nothing, but look at the faces of the people. They love us like gods Hephaestion. They praise us higher than gods, some of them. They love you, Hephaestion, as I do."

Alexander looked out the balcony, yet remained inside, and watched as the wind glided against the light blue water. He glanced over his shoulder, making sure that Hephaestion was resting, and then turned back to the view.

"We are the sun and the stars Hephaestion. Without each other we are nothing. Without you, I am nothing. Do you remember when we first entered the palace of Darius, and out of all the men there, the Queen of Persia called you a king? It was because she saw in you what I see. You are far more a king than ever I could be."

He turned then, looking at Hephaestion. "I love you, more than I have ever loved anything in my life Hephaestion. That is why I need you to get well for me. And if this means I must steal you from whatever gods beckon you to be with them, then I must be selfish, and I must have you."

Hephaestion did not hear this though. He had drifted off long ago. Alexander was the only one that could put his soul at ease about anything. Alexander watched him sleep from where he leaned against the wall. He continued to think the same thing over and over again though. _Hephaestion, without you I am nothing. _


	2. The Balcony

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 2, "The Balcony"

A/N: To all, I own nothing here. Would like to, so if you know the owner of the deed, let me know. But can you buy from history?

Hephaestion felt the fire in his throat before he awoke it seemed. As his eyes slowly opened he felt the weakness in his body. Never before had he recalled feeling so terrible. As he shifted his eyes, he saw Alexander, asleep in his chair. For days now Alexander had not left, merely stayed in the room, waiting for Hephaestion to recover.

Silence lingered in the room. For some time now Hephaestion had not minded this. The throbbing in his head came only when it became loud, usually from voices outside, or mainly from Alexander yelling at servants. Yelling at physicians was when he was loudest. However the room now felt too big for him, the world too big.

Hephaestion raised a hand, which pained him, such a simple gesture. He touched his bottom lip only to feel the cracking skin. When he removed his hand, and ran his tongue over his lip, he tasted salty blood. In forgetfulness he closed his eyes, and sighed loudly. It was loud enough to awaken Alexander though.

"Phae," Alexander said as he sat up quickly and leaned closer to the bed. The worry was clearly visible in his eyes, and on his face, as it had been for days. If Hephaestion breathed deeply the king would worry. It was all he could do, because he could not cure him, try as he might. "What is it, are you alright? Is something the matter?"

"I am fine," Hephaestion said. It was somewhat a lie. He felt terrible, and he knew that he looked it, but he had felt the same for days. So perhaps he was fine, yet fine meant something other than well. "I did not mean to wake you."

"Its fine," Alexander immediately said. "The sound of your voice pleases me. Have you been up long? I did not realize that I had fallen asleep."

Hephaestion was not listening truly though. He was recalling what Alexander had said earlier. Another one of his long speeches, about loving him, and only him was what he had been saying. The commander thought of this for a moment, when the sunlight caught his attention.

"Alexander," he whispered in a hushed tone, hushed from his throat, for he could barely speak. He wondered if he was as raspy as he himself thought he sounded. He had been drinking nothing but water, yet his voice was still terrible, his throat constricted from its dryness.

"What can I do for you, my love," Alexander asked anxiously.

"I want out of bed," Hephaestion said. This was not the first time he had requested such. He had done so on many occasions. He never truly felt like moving around, but knew that he needed to, for his soul seemed even now to be restless. Lying around for no reason was never a talent of his, neither was having no purpose.

"Phae," Alexander said quietly. "You know that you are too ill to get out of bed. A few more days, and then you will be getting your strength. Any day now you will be able to get out of bed, and we will do as you like, but not now."

Hephaestion let out a small breath of annoyance and sunk his head further into the pillow. It was not Alexander's fault that he was sick. Nor was it his really, well, perhaps a little. If he had not fallen in love with Alexander, become his favorite man of all, perhaps he would not be hated. Death would have been a bad enough punishment, for it meant separation from Alexander, yet being confined to bed was too much.

"Aristotle used to teach us many things," Hephaestion said suddenly, seemingly in a mist, recalling their childhood. "He taught us of the world, of the men of the lands, and of philosophy. Do you know what I wish I could have been in life Alexander?"

"If you were not this you mean?"

"A philosopher," he said without taking in Alexander's comment. "I wish that I could be able to know what Aristotle does. He knows the secrets of life I imagine. As a philosopher I would say this, 'A man that dies happy, does not suffer the death of a man that dies without.'"

Alexander knew what this meant. How could he not know such a thing? Hephaestion had always been stubborn, but this, this was something else. Yet Alexander found himself rising and pulling the sheets away from Hephaestion. He then leaned down, wrapping an arm around Hephaestion's shoulder, the other around his waist. He helped him up, being very careful, for in his weakened state even a fall would likely injure Hephaestion beyond compare.

Hephaestion was shaky on his legs, even leaning against Alexander. However, he refused to sit back down. Instead he wobbled for a minute, and tried to find his balance. Upon finding it the best he could he glanced at Alexander. Alexander knew better than to try to help him. The last time he had he was scolded for it. But the pain was written on his face. He was close enough to help, yet at the same time, he was so far away.

"The balcony," Hephaestion said quietly, thinking that perhaps that would be as far as he would make it. Even now, standing was a feat. Alexander helped him along as he was told though. Before they stepped over the threshold Hephaestion was breathing hard, exhausted from his stubborn attempt to be well.

"Ecbatana," Alexander introduced as they came to the ledge. He let Hephaestion grip the ledge and support himself but was still not far away. If anything should happen he would not be far away at all. "Its not Babylon, nor is it Macedonia, but it is still beautiful."

Hephaestion felt the warmth of the sun on his aching body. It felt as if the warmth brought him some relief. However, it was looking out at the world again that really joyed him. This was the world, Alexander's world, and his world. It could not be taken from him unless the gods willed it. Upon thinking this he coughed deep in his throat.

"Hephaestion," Alexander said soothingly, "perhaps this is enough for today. Is there any way to get you back in bed?"

"No," Hephaestion replied. "I just want to see again, before…"

He himself could not bring himself to say these last words. If he were dying, he would not want to admit it. Perhaps the physicians were right, those that thought he would recover, but he knew the way of illness. It was far more likely that he would not be well. Very soon he would likely meet Patroclaus and Achilles with Hades in the Underworld.

"Alexander," Hephaestion interrupted the silence, "tell me of Arabia. What is it that you plan to do there?"

"We," Alexander corrected again. There was then a pause. "Arabia is no different from any other land that we conquer Phae. Arabia, now, has no purpose. We must unite them Hephaestion. We must unite Arabia with Babylon, as we did Babylon to Macedonia and Greece. If there is one land, one ruler, then all shall be equal. There will be no wars. The world shall be a better place, we will free the people of the world, and things will be as the gods desire."

"Spoken like a king, and the son of a god."

"You knew my father as well as I," Alexander laughed quietly. "Arabia does not matter at the moment though. What matters is your health. I will not go without you Hephaestion."

Hephaestion turned his head, and stared into Alexander's loving eyes. There was nothing in the world for him without Alexander, much like without him, there was nothing in the world for Alexander. Just as Alexander reached out, putting his palm on Hephaestion's cheek, Hephaestion suddenly felt cold. He blinked, and with that, the world around him stopped.

The next thing he saw was Alexander's face, directly over his, yet spinning it seemed as if there were two of him or there were an earthquake. Hephaestion felt weak as he had before yet now his head throbbed. He then heard Alexander screaming. At first he knew not what Alexander was saying, he couldn't make out the words, but as the ringing in his ears began to quiet down he could make out what the king was screaming about.

"Get the physicians," Alexander screamed to a page that was now running out the door. Hephaestion watched Bagoas follow the boy. "Hurry! Physicians!"

Hephaestion moved his head, turned his chin, so that he could better see Alexander. Immediately Alexander looked down at him and held his face in his hands all the more tightly. A mixture of rage and terror filled his expression and he knelt down closer to Hephaestion. He kissed Hephaestion's forehead and mumbled something that Hephaestion could not hear.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said, his voice shaking, "what's going on."

He realized now that he was no longer on the balcony. He was back in the darker rooms of the palace. He lay on the soft bed, with Alexander next to him, and he could hear the scrambling of people outside of the room. Zeus be cursed his head hurt terribly.

"Oh Hephaestion," Alexander said as he pressed Hephaestion's cheek to his chest. He could do nothing but kiss the top of his head. He was slowly rocking, and Hephaestion did not mind, but it was making him the slightest bit nauseous. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

"I'm fine," Hephaestion argued quietly. He noted that his hands were trembling, that he felt cool and damp. He reached up and touched his neck. Yes, he was wet, water mixed with sweat from his sickness covered his upper half. One moment he had been standing, and then, this. He could only assume that he had feinted.

The doors to the room were quickly opened and three physicians ran into the room. They were practically tripping on one another. Hephaestion tried to turn his head to see them as they approached, but Alexander held him still. The first physician carried a bandage, one a salve. What were they thinking?

"He hit the rail," Alexander explained as a physician poked and prodded at Hephaestion's forehead. Alexander was about to hyperventilate, Hephaestion realized, like when he had cut his leg at the battle of Issus. Hephaestion had joked with him, for it had after all not been the king's leg, but his. Yet Alexander had made up most of the pain in his own mind.

"I caught him," Alexander continued, "before he fell further. But I…I just couldn't stop him….before he, oh Apollo, he just hit the rail."

Hephaestion watched the physician draw back his hand. It was covered with blood. Of course, it was not enough blood to cause Hephaestion to panic, nor the physicians. Yet Alexander acted as if his head were about to be detached.

"I'm fine," Hephaestion responded. He definitely did not feel it though. He winced as a salve was put on his head. He then, drifted, back to the land of darkness. At least this time it wasn't so sudden, and it was more expected.


	3. Night in Ecbatana

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 3, "Night in Ecbatana"

A/N: Still don't own anything. Thank you for reading though, please review if you have time, I always enjoy hearing from readers!

After reading a letter, which appeared to never end Alexander tossed the scroll down and rubbed his eyes. He then stood, needing to get out of this room, but really needing to get back to Hephaestion. The king left his own chambers and made his way to Hephaestion's door. He opened the door and quietly entered, not wanting to wake Hephaestion if he slept, but as he approached the bed knew that he need not worry. Hephaestion was already awake, sitting up, and reading a copy of the Iliad in the dim light.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said as he shut the book.

"Are you feeling better," the king asked. Already he thought that Hephaestion was looking better. His color was coming back. The wound on his head was closing. It had been a week since that terrible day when Hephaestion blacked out from his sickness. A physician blamed the heat and the poison in his body. Alexander guessed that the physician must be right, for it seemed likely, and it made sense to him even though he knew nothing about medicine.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said, glancing down for a split moment, before he asked for what he wanted. "I want to go for a walk, with you. I need to get out of bed, I need to move. Please, I am feeling better, and you will be with me should anything happen."

"I did not do such a wonderful time last time, my love."

Hephaestion did not have to say more. He merely had to look at Alexander. His cerulean eyes did all of the talking for him. He needed this, to get out of this room, because it was really what was killing him. Alexander sighed and put his hand out. As Hephaestion pushed the covers away from himself he took the king's hand and let him help him out of bed. He knew, or at least was confident, that he could get out f bed himself. However, if he tripped in the slightest, Alexander would have him back in bed within the second.

Alexander helped steady him. He noticed, however, that Hephaestion was far less foreign to walking than he had been the last time. In fact, he seemed to be doing rather good. He was supporting himself for the most part but Alexander kept his arm around his waist, just in case.

"Where do you wish to go," Alexander asked softly.

Hephaestion thought for a moment but it did not take long for him to decide upon where he wished to go. He told Alexander that he wished to visit the gardens of Ecbatana. He had only seen them briefly before he had become ill. However, as they entered the hallway, a problem arose.

Upon shutting the door Alexander glanced down the hall. Hephaestion had already seen the woman walking with her train. It was obvious in the way that his body tensed that he did not like her. However, she slowed, and put her hand over her growing belly. Hephaestion glanced at her large belly, and thought of Alexander's son growing in her womb. Roxanne swore that it was a son. Hephaestion could only hope that it was, but a daughter would not disappoint Alexander either.

"Hephaestion," she greeted icily. "I see that you are better."

It was apparent that she saw Alexander's arm around Hephaestion's waist. It was also very easy to see that she did not like such a gesture. Yet, what could Alexander do? If he let go of Hephaestion he could likely fall, and on the other hand, he did not want to let him go. He had almost done so one and look what had happened. It would not happen again. The only reason that Roxanne was alive was because she was carrying his child. Otherwise, she would already be in the ground, beneath him where she belonged.

"Yes," Hephaestion replied though as if nothing was wrong. "I am feeling much better thank you. You look well also, my Queen."

Roxanne would have said more. She would have spoken with her husband. However, Alexander gave her a look that silenced her, and she turned back down the hallway. Alexander then made sure to lead Hephaestion in the opposite direction. The loves of his life did not mix, well, if he could now look at Roxanne as a love.

"I still wish you a son," Hephaestion said as they walked down the halls.

Alexander looked at Hephaestion, meeting his eyes briefly, and then looked away. It was hard for him to think of the words to say to such a statement. That was one thing that Alexander had to love about Hephaestion, he at least pretended to understand. He had not been fond of Roxanne, yet had understood Alexander's desire for an heir, and even now he understood why she was still around.

"I will take care of her after the child is born," Alexander replied finally as they turned down another hall. He could see the light at the end, just before the gardens, and was glad that they were almost there. Perhaps the conversation would turn to something else.

The moon was full and bright, shining down on the flowers when they stepped onto the fertile soil of the gardens. Hephaestion stopped and looked around for a moment. He then felt Alexander carefully release him. After Alexander did this, he slowly made his way to a fountain, and sat on the edge. In the night the gardens were lovelier than they were in the day. The colors were not as vibrant, but were magnificent in their own way, in the blacks and silvers of the night.

"Come sit with me," Hephaestion said when Alexander stopped and merely watched him. Upon his request the king came closer. He sat down silently next to Hephaestion, and wondered about their relationship. For so long Hephaestion had been pushed to the side, even though he'd really not noticed it, Alexander knew that it was his fault. Where did they stand now? He wondered as he sat down.

Yet Hephaestion's hand soon was in his, finding its way there without any hesitation, and Alexander ceased to worry. The warmth radiating between them even now was enough to thaw ice. They would never be separated. The last few weeks had been the closest they would ever be the separation, and it would be the last time they grew so close, Alexander vowed this.

"It is beautiful," Alexander mused. Upon doing so Hephaestion turned his head and looked at him. Alexander stared back at him for a moment before he put his hand upon Hephaestion's cheek. He then did what he should have done some time before. The king leaned closer, and pressed his lips lightly against Hephaestion's.

Alexander moved his lower lip, initiating the kiss, and Hephaestion immediately warmed to him. Alexander let go of Hephaestion's hand so that he could wrap his arm around his waist. He then pulled him closer, pressing his mouth even tighter with Hephaestion's, and lightly pressed his fingers deeper into Hephaestion's cheek. Heat soared between the two of them.

"I am sorry," Alexander said as he put his chin upon Hephaestion's shoulder. He let his breath warm Hephaestion's neck. At the same time it aroused Hephaestion, so he would not demand for him to stop. Instead, he put a hand on Alexander's back as to hold him as well.

"I was never angry with you," Hephaestion told him as he held him. He let out a breath of air, a light breath, but it was a breath of love. Hephaestion took a handful of Alexander's hair in his hand, just to feel it, and wrapped it around his fingers as he spoke. "I was jealous of Bagoas at first, and then I was jealous of _her_, but I was never angry with you."

Alexander pulled away. It was as if the words had stabbed him in the heart. He put a hand on Hephaestion's cheek and kissed his lips lightly. He then met his cerulean eyes with his own dark eyes, and frowned softly.

"Hephaestion," he replied lovingly, "you have nothing to be jealous of. Bagoas, although I care for him, he is not you. I at first thought the experience was wonderful, but because it was new, and now he is nothing. He is just a boy I cannot let go of. And Roxanne is not you either. She has a spirit much like that of my mother, and I thought she would be a good mother for my child. Yet I do not love her."

"I cannot love her," he continued. "I cannot love her because she is not you. Oh Hephaestion, you are the only one that I can love and care for. We are one. Without you I am nothing. When you fell, and hit your head, I thought you were gone. I thought the gods had taken you from me and the thought of it almost killed me. Hephaestion, I love you and only you."

Hephaestion bit his lower lip before leaning forward and placing his lips upon Alexander's. As he kissed him he remembered what it was like to love Alexander. Alexander was the ruler of the world, but at the same time, was the ruler of his heart and soul. Alexander kissed him back and let a hand roam down to his thigh. He pressed his fingers into Hephaestion's thigh and pushed his tongue against Hephaestion's mouth, begging for entrance.

Hephaestion parted his lips and let Alexander delve into him. At the same time, however, Alexander was letting the kiss fade. Hephaestion was still unwell. Kissing him now, after so long it seemed, would only make him crave for more. Yet he could not do all that he wanted to Hephaestion now.

"Hephaestion," he said as this kiss ended, in a series of panting, "I cannot do this to you now. I could not take advantage of you in you weakened state."

Hephaestion only shook his head. He then kissed him again. This time he made it apparent that he wanted more than just this. He wanted to be with Alexander tonight like they had been, as they were when they were younger. He wanted things to be like when they were boys and the way of the world was only little known to them. He wanted this night to be as if they were naïve and had no care of anything else, nothing but each other.

Alexander wished that he could be strong enough to refrain from temptation. He wanted to do the right thing. He wanted to take Hephaestion back to his chambers, get him into bed, and then tell him goodnight. What he lusted for was something far different. Something far more lascivious. As Hephaestion held him close, kissing him, he knew that he could not fool himself. If Hephaestion was well enough, and in honesty he was, he would take him with all of the power in his body.

"Come," Alexander said as he pulled Hephaestion up, while they still kissed. Without taking another step Alexander went back to letting his hands roam up and down Hephaestion's body. He pressed against his firm chest, kissing him all the more firmly, and then grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. The heat between their bodies united, driving the both of them all the more wild, and Alexander pressed his ever-growing erection against Hephaestion's thighs. Many said the only thing to ever conquer Alexander would be those strong thighs, and Alexander openly agreed, for he would loose to Hephaestion every time.

Alexander moved then, leading them down the hall. They did not get far before he stopped, ducking into the shadows, and began to kiss Hephaestion again. Hephaestion did not mind. Instead he continued to kiss Alexander back, loving the variation between tenderness and passion. After twenty minutes of ducking into corners just to kiss and let hands roam quietly they made it to Alexander's chambers. Hephaestion could not say that he missed his own rooms.

Alexander slammed the door shut and then let both hands go to Hephaestion's cheeks. He pulled him close, kissing him with all the passionate ire he had. Hephaestion put both hands on Alexander's waist and pulled his hips closer to him. He then let Alexander's hands find their way to the bottom of his shirt, and let his lover pull the garment over his head. Alexander instantaneously tossed the shirt to the side, not needing it. He then let his fingers rove over the muscles of Hephaestion's chest.

Alexander then put an arm around Hephaestion and pulled him impossibly close. The other hand he put on the back of his neck so that he could pull their lips even closer together. As he did so Hephaestion's fingers found their way to the tie of Alexander's robes. He pulled the tie, letting the robe fall open. Hephaestion felt Alexander slide away from him. He then began kissing the base of his neck. When he scraped his teeth against the soft flesh of his neck, Hephaestion let out a small gasp of pleasure.

Hephaestion put a hand on either of Alexander's shoulders and pushed the robe off of Alexander's body. It crumpled and fell to the floor in a spiral of dark red silk. Alexander now stood before him in all of his golden beauty. Hephaestion, upon seeing him, let his lips trace a line from the king's neck to his chest. He craned his head and kissed at the muscles in the king's upper chest. When he came to one of his hardened nipples Hephaestion ran his tongue in a circle around his soft light skin. Then, as a playful gesture, he bit him. Alexander cried out in a surprised cry of euphoria.

Hephaestion only continued to kiss down the center of the king's chest. He came to his navel, and playfully licked at him. Then, with his hands on Alexander's chest, he slid even further down. Yet as he did he felt as if gravity was trying to pull him in another direction. Suddenly he was rather light headed. However, instead of doing as planned, Alexander reached down for him. Alexander pulled him up with a hand and pressed his lips firmly against his lover's, heatedly letting his tongue roam around Hephaestion's mouth.

After a moment Alexander led Hephaestion backward. He pushed him down onto the bed, yet at the same time remained careful. He still knew that Hephaestion was weak and did not want to risk harming him. In another second Alexander was on all fours, crawling on top of Hephaestion. He let his wildly long hair fall onto Hephaestion's chest as he kissed him. Hephaestion let a small laugh out, for it tickled terribly.

There was then a sudden knock at the door. Alexander kissed at Hephaestion's chest for another moment before the knock came again. Sighing, Alexander stopped and lifted his head. Instead of kissing him he ran the tips of his fingers over Hephaestion's chest to tease him.

"What," Alexander screamed out.

All knew that saying such did not mean that one was aloud to enter. However, when the door opened and a blur of clothing entered the room, Alexander did not attack anyone. He would likely do so if it had been someone that was not carrying the heir to his throne. As soon as she slammed the door shut and looked up, and far across the room, Roxanne froze.

Hephaestion and Alexander had frozen as well. However, Alexander did not seem embarrassed in the least about his nudity. Hephaestion on the other hand found himself siding further down so that Alexander's thigh could hide most of his manhood. Nevertheless, he knew that within a few moments things were going to get heated. This was not the first time Roxanne had found them in an inappropriate and suggestive scene.

"So this is where you were," Roxanne hissed as she approached.

"It is none of your concern," Alexander shot back. He removed his arms from the bed and sat further back so that he was more comfortable. He also looked like he was ready to pounce. Hephaestion on the other hand was still pinned beneath Alexander and could not move.

"What do I tell our son," she continued. "Do I tell him that I was his vessel, but his father is a cheap Macedonian whore?"

Just like that Alexander was off of Hephaestion, and the bed, and was in Roxanne's face. He grabbed her neck, applying pressure with his thumb, and stared at her with eyes of fire. Hephaestion got up in this time and pulled a sheet around himself and tied it. At least this way he would be able to help Roxanne should she need it, even though she did not deserve it really. But the unborn child should not be harmed.

"Never," screamed Alexander, "speak of Hephaestion in such a way again. Do you understand me!"

Roxanne pushed him suddenly. Then with the furry of only a women scorned she clawed at Alexander. She slapped him even, and instead of attacking her like he wanted, he tried to grab her wrists. After a moment he had both wrists, but Roxanne still twisted and tried to fight with him.

"Stop," Alexander ordered as he pulled Roxanne closer. Instead of listening she continued to thrash. So Alexander, who was by far stronger, lifted her off of the ground. He went to the door, and pulled it open as he let Roxanne go, and threw her out of the room. She fell to the floor in a pile of material and Alexander shut the door. This time he made sure to lock the door.

"What do you think she will say," Hephaestion asked with a raised eyebrow. Alexander did not seem at all worried. In honesty, Hephaestion knew where he stood with the other men already, so he was not worried about a scandal.

"I think they know of my love for you," Alexander responded, taking the words from Hephaestion's mind it seemed. He then came closer, and kissed Hephaestion lightly on the lips. He knew that what they had been approaching would not again be the same tonight. So he suggested something else. "Come lay with me."

Hephaestion crawled into the bed with Alexander. He draped one arm over Alexander's waist. The other he put on Alexander's cheek. The back of his hand sank lightly into the soft pillows. Alexander kissed his forehead and then Hephaestion closed his eyes slowly. He was usually the first to go to sleep after their nights of passion. Alexander would tell him of his dreams as he fell asleep. Yet tonight was different. All Alexander uttered before he fell asleep were three words. I-love-you.


	4. Word from Macedonia

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 4, "Word from Macedonia"

Alexander had awoken early and left Hephaestion asleep in his room. It would have displeased him to wake him. It was perhaps the calmest sleep Hephaestion had experienced since illness had taken him. So the king now sat in the other half of the room. Here he could lean back in his chair and see Hephaestion asleep on the bed, yet at the same time was secluded enough not to worry about making little noises here and there.

In silence Bagoas had entered the room earlier. He seemed to take no notice of Hephaestion. Instead of commenting he cast his eyes upon the floor and handed Alexander a scroll. This was all he did before he left as quickly and quietly as he had come. Only when he heard the secret entrance to the room shut did Alexander glance down at the scroll. It must be important for Bagoas to use the passage unknown to others, besides the king and Hephaestion.

Untying the ribbon and tossing it onto the table he quietly unrolled the scroll. Before looking down at the words he made sure once more that Hephaestion still slept well. He was getting progressively better, but Alexander wanted to take no chances. Should Hephaestion need something he wanted to make sure that he was not far away.

Looking down he sighed. Instantly he recognized the writing on the scroll. It was his mother's own writing, not even that of a scribe. What she could want now Alexander did not know. Nor did he particularly care at the moment but knew that he could not read the letter unread. Sighing, he checked Hephaestion once more, and then averted his eyes back to the parchment.

_My son, _the letter read, _I am sorry to hear of Hephaestion's illness. It has been long since either of you have written, so I take it that the cause can only be Hephaestion's health. You know, that I, as your mother worry for you. I worry, for without Hephaestion, you lack your senses. This is why you have not written me, asked of my being, because Hephaestion has not told you to. Alexander –do you love me so little even now that I have pushed you, and in doing so, you have the world? Yet what is the world with no one to share it with?_

_Hephaestion told me of Roxanne. I can only imagine that you know what he thinks of her. His contempt must be visible in those eyes of his. Yet he is Hephaestion, and he does not speak too ill of her to me, but at the same time I know what his words mean. She is a barbarian woman Alexander, nothing more. To begin she must have amused you but why keep her around now? You are Alexander, the Great, and you can have any woman you desire. You do not need her for an heir. _

_What is this I hear of you marrying Hephaestion away? Do you think that this would make him happy? Of course it will not, he wants no woman, he wants you. It is your heart that he desires my son. Give that to him and you give him the world. But how is he now, I wonder. _

_I can only imagine what sicknesses you have seen in these far away countries. Somewhere I am sure that Hephaestion picked up the illness he has now. If it is an illness, for if Roxanne is like me as you say, then perhaps it is not an illness at all. It is hard for a woman to share the heart of her lover with another, and in her lands, especially a male lover. _

_I do not know where you now, only assume that you are still in Ecbatana, but I am sure that this will reach you. When it does, I hope that you shall respond to me Alexander. It was only you I ever thought of. Surely you must know this Alexander, for you are of my womb, and are therefore linked with my soul. If you saw not what I did for you, look back now, and you will see. _

_Give my regards to Hephaestion, and to your wife. Tell Hephaestion that I wish him to fair better, for I miss speaking with him. Odd, that I speak with him more than I do anyone, even my son. I love you Alexander, more than I love the waking days. Do me proud, my Achilles. Your mother –Olympias. _

Alexander tossed the scroll onto the table. He really wanted nothing to do with her. Love him, of course she did, but in all honesty she loved herself more. But he could not profess her to be wrong about Hephaestion. She knew, that was her talent he supposed, everything there was to know about his relationship with Hephaestion.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said quietly, as he leaned against the threshold of the door. His voice drew Alexander from his thoughts. It was odd. He had not even heard him get up. Hephaestion only inclined his head towards the scroll, and in a soft tone asked, "Is it from your mother?"

"Yes," Alexander said with a nod. "She misses speaking with you. She would like me to tell you this. I knew you spoke with her, but apparently you speak with her more than me."

Hephaestion smiled softly, "And does that surprise you?"

Alexander glanced up. He shook his head no then. Of course it really did not surprise him. Avoiding his mother was now one of his talents. First he had Babylon, and now he had part of India. Why did he need to speak with her? Hephaestion on the other hand must have some kind of reasoning.

"I'm not sure what she wants me to write," Alexander admitted quietly.

"She has not seen you in years. Perhaps seeing each other would do you both good," Hephaestion suggested. Ever since she asked to come to Babylon months ago Hephaestion had been suggesting it. Alexander had been the one to decline, no matter where they were. It was as if he thought seeing her would force him to weaken to her powers, and he would loose everything he worked so hard for.

"Besides," Hephaestion added, "I too miss Babylon."

Alexander looked up at him. He had never known Hephaestion to like Babylon so well. He supposed, thinking about it, that it really wasn't Babylon that Hephaestion had disliked. It had been the Alexander he had met there. It had not only been his neglect, which included Bagoas, but the way he had conducted himself. Having parties where he had drunken himself into madness had not seemed to please Hephaestion, for it was he who would end up putting Alexander to bed, and he would endure words that should have never crossed his ears.

Yet Alexander missed Babylon as well. Perhaps he wanted to see Darius' palace again just as much as Hephaestion did. They were not the only one. His men grew weary, and they wanted to return home, or to places they called home. Most would end up in Babylon or Macedonia.

"Babylon," Alexander said quietly.

"A suggestion," Hephaestion responded. Yet he then immediately thought of what Alexander would say. "It does not mean that I don't want to go on. I will, got to Arabia with you that is."

"I know," Alexander agreed. He had to. Hephaestion would follow him anywhere. This had already been made clear. When all of his men hated him, for they wanted to stop trekking the world and settle somewhere in it, only one man would be on his side. That man was always Hephaestion, and in the roughest of times, he would find ways to convince others that going on would not be so bad. How he did, Alexander did not know, yet perhaps it was part of the reason why others hated him so.

But he had almost lost the man that he held so dear in his heart. Vulnerability had let itself be known to him. Perhaps traveling further would only force him and Hephaestion apart again. This he clearly did not want. As for Babylon, the place was lovely, and his campaign was strongest there. He could rule from Babylon from little trouble, far less than he had now.

"Let us go back," Alexander said suddenly, "to Babylon."

Hephaestion smiled. He then turned, holding the sheet he had wrapped around himself, and went back to the bedroom. Alexander watched him go, thinking that perhaps he was not the son of a god, but Hephaestion likely was. Hephaestion sometimes reminded him of Aphrodite, and Apollo, all at the same time. If he was the son of a god, he was purely divine. Alexander had decided this years ago.

News of their return to Babylon found its way around the palace like wild fire. Alexander only had to select a few of the Companion Calvary to tell. They did a good job getting the information out. Men were packing, some packed so quickly they were done within an hour, others finished before lunch. Alexander decided to stay inside his apartments though, with Hephaestion, who only left once to bring them back a tray of fine food.

"They all wish to see you," Hephaestion declared as he shut the door, making sure to lock it. "I think some do not believe you. Most do, if only because they want it to be true, but some are skeptical."

"What should I write my mother," Alexander asked as he picked up a goblet of wine, taking a deep drink. He had begun to write her so many times already. Each time he tore the letter up, crumpled it, and threw it to the ground in a ball. Hephaestion wrote her often enough, perhaps he could have better luck. The words just would not flow onto the paper like they should.

"It depends," Hephaestion replied. "What is it that you want to say to her? Although I am sure that if you simply signed you name to a piece of parchment she would be pleased enough. She missed you Alexander, almost as much as…"

"As what?"

"Nothing."

"No," Alexander inquired. "What were you going to say? She misses me almost as much as what?"

"I was going to say," Hephaestion said ethereally, "She misses you almost as much as I did."

Alexander looked at him, stared into the depths of his cerulean eyes. Alexander then began to think, back to Babylon. Had he really abandoned Hephaestion so? He knew that they had been separate, that space had filled the void between them –and in his case Bagoas filled it as well- but he did not know that they were truly that separate. Hephaestion was pained, that he knew, but he did not know to what extent. He did not know, because Hephaestion had never told him. He had never voiced his pain. He had merely followed Alexander, silently, wherever he asked to go.

"Oh Phae," Alexander said as he leaned closer, wrapping and arm around Hephaestion, and drawing him close. He put his chin on his shoulder, and inhaled the fragrance of him. With his fingers he twirled Hephaestion's dark hair around his fingers.

Hephaestion held him, thinking nothing ill of him. He never could have hated Alexander, try as he might. For deep down he knew that Alexander would come back to him. Their souls were one, he knew, and in knowing this he tried not to worry. It was Alexander that he had feared for when he slipped away. It had scared him to see Alexander so far away from him.

"I will never leave you again," Alexander promised as he kissed Hephaestion's neck. He did not release his hold on him. He would never let go of him again, he vowed. Hephaestion let out a small breath of air. He then buried his face in Alexander's neck. He too wrapped his fingers in Alexander's golden hair.

"I know," he whispered. "I know."


	5. Return to Babylon

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 5, "Return to Babylon"

A/N: Thanks for all of the support. In the next few chapters I may be using outside characters. Hope that they don't confuse or displease anyone. Please review if you get the chance. I love to hear how I'm doing.

There were a great many people waiting to see the king as he entered Babylon. They had lined up around the city, hoping to at least get a good look at Alexander the Great. He had conquered Darius and not stayed long, but now their ruler was returning. It was enough to make many happy, and few furious. Yet there was one person that waited more anxiously than anyone in all of Persia.

"My Lady," Aryse quietly said as she entered the room. She made sure to keep her eyes on the floor. Many years of being a slave had taught her such. It had also taught her to use a quiet tone. "King Alexander has only a few moments before he reaches the palace."

"Thank you," Olympias said as she turned away from the balcony. She took the snake in her hands and put it in a woven basket on a table. She then left the room, not wanting to miss seeing Alexander. By the time she reached the doors of the palace, and stepped out into the blinding light of the sun, Alexander was dismounting his horse.

He waited for Hephaestion to do the same before he began up the stairs to the palace. However, when he saw her, he stopped for a moment. Taking in a breath he then continued. Hephaestion followed close behind, as Olympias remembered him doing often. When Alexander reached her she did not know what to expect. Yet Alexander simply knelt, took her hand, and brought it to his lips gently.

"Welcome to Babylon," he said as he rose. He then glanced over his shoulder as Roxanne approached. Olympias looked at her and decided that she would never like this woman. She was too plain for her Alexander, plain, and in being so was rather ugly. She could not judge yet her spirit but if it were like her looks it would be nothing great. It was easy to see that she was a barbarian though.

"This is Roxanne," Alexander introduced them. "She is the Queen that you have heard of, I assume."

Olympias faked a smile, "Charmed. It is almost easy to see why you chose her. Forgive me for arriving early my son. It was far safer for me to travel this way though, without others knowing. You know how men are in the times of war."

"Understandable," Alexander said as they continued up the stairs and into the palace. Olympias took care to note that he did not give much attention to his wife. He cared more about Hephaestion, looking over his shoulder to make sure that he was fine. The wife he could care less about. Apparently all the love he had for her had warn off.

There was not much else said between them just then. As soon as they were in the palace Alexander excused himself. He told her that he must show Roxanne to her rooms. He would then see her later, at dinner likely. Olympias smiled and let him go, being glad to at least see him. When she turned, only Hephaestion remained. All others had gone on to do other business.

"You look well," he told her. "It does not appear that you have aged since last I saw you."

"Thank you," Olympias smiled. "You seem well yourself. I guessed that you were ill. When I got word from Alexander I wished that I had not said anything. Yet I was right, and I am glad to see now that you are better. Thank you for bringing my son home, and I to meet him."

"It was not my doing."

"It was," Olympias argued. "Do you think that I do not know that if you did not tell him to he would never write me? I have often thought that he does not love me. But that cannot be it. All sons love their mothers to at least some extent, I suppose. You understand him though, as I do, but he listens to only you."

"Because of it I have to be careful. Not all think that I should have such influence on Alexander."

"Jealousy," Olympias resolved. She then began to walk, urging Hephaestion to go with her. He did, following him with his arms loosely at his sides. Her own arms were crossed over her chest. For the first time she decided that her thin dress might not be warm enough for Persia. Yet she decided that it was the look she strived for, not the feeling. A little cold may do her good.

"I heard that you were married," she asked really as they walked down the halls. She had only heard it, so she must ask about it. Hephaestion had never mentioned anything in a letter to her. It was not her business. But at the same time, if it were true, he probably did not care enough to tell anyone.

"Her name is Drypetis," he replied.

"Do you love her?"

She asked, as if it were nothing. But her words were meant to sting deep. Hephaestion glanced over at her. His blue eyes caught hers for a moment. It was easy to see his answer there. The fact that he did not profess his love immediately was enough for her, yet it was his eyes that gave him away. That, she declared, was the trouble with having eyes that lead to one's soul. They would always give things away.

"I love her the best I can," Hephaestion told her. There was a pause, and then Hephaestion went on when Olympias said nothing else. "She is a good wife. She never really asks me of anything. I believe it is because she knows that I cannot give her what a husband should. She has a lover, of course. A eunuch, a friend of Bagoas'."

"You know this?"

He nodded. "She does not know that I have knowledge of it though. But, even though I know, there is nothing I will do about it. She needs someone to love her in ways I cannot. There is nothing wrong with it."

"You plan to never have a child then," Olympias asked.

"I haven't given it much thought," Hephaestion admitted. In truth he never really had. He had always been infatuated with Alexander. In the years that he should have been chasing the girls, he was chasing the prince. Therefore he had never found someone, a woman at least, to share his bed with. In not doing so he missed nothing. It had not occurred to him until Roxanne became pregnant that he had missed out on having a child. It would be possible to do so with Drypetis, but at the same time, he did not love her enough to put her through such. Perhaps, someday, it would be different with another woman. Yet he truly doubted that such a day would come.

"Alexander will have a son," Olympias broke the silence. "I cannot say that I agree with the mother. But I am sure that I will love him. I can only hope that he takes on after Alexander. That barbarian's blood will run in his veins, but if it touches his features, I do not know what I will do."

Hephaestion laughed quickly, "Roxanne is not ugly Olympias. She is different from the women here, but she is not ugly."

"You are too kind."

Olympias entered her rooms, glancing over her shoulder and telling Hephaestion to follow with her eyes. He did so, shutting the door behind them. He then looked over the room. Just as he took a step a snake slithered across the floor in front of him. Hephaestion reached down and fearlessly picked up the red serpent and returned it to a tipped over basket on the floor.

"You do not fear her. That is good. She would have tried to strike you otherwise."

"I have seen many snakes," Hephaestion told her. "There are only a few of them that can scare me. She was not one of them. I should have brought you back a serpent from Ecbatana. They have a wonderful selection of poisonous reptiles, most of them snakes."

"Yes," Olympias smiled. "You should have."

Hephaestion glanced up when he heard the folding of garments. Far across the room was a young woman, no older than sixteen, folding laundry belonging to the Queen and putting it in drawers. She turned her head, glancing at him momentarily, and then quickly looked away. Olympias noticed that Hephaestion's attention had gone awry, and she looked over her shoulder. She then looked back.

"Her name is Aryse," she told Hephaestion. She could already tell, since he still looked at her, that he found something interesting about her. He should, because she was beautiful for a slave. In fact, many would think her a divine princess instead of a slave girl. That was why Olympias kept her around, because she was lovely, and she could fold faster than ten slaves put together could.

Hephaestion looked back to Olympias as he slowly came back to a standing position. He did not like the way that the Queen smirked at him. She seemed to notice, so she turned at went to her bed. She then picked up a robe made by the fine weavers of Macedonia. She approached Hephaestion and held out the dark blue garment.

"For you," she said as he reluctantly took it from her. "I thought that you would like something to remind you of home."

"Speaking of that, how is my father?"

His mother had already died, just as they were leaving Babylon he had received the word. It had cut him deeply. Yet his father assured him that his mother had gone quickly, and in peace. She knew that he would have come, had he the chance. She forgave him before she died. That piece of information was supposed to make him feel better but it only made him feel guiltier.

"Oh," Olympias said. "I thought that you would have gotten word. I could have sworn that I have my scribe pen it to you."

"What happened," Hephaestion asked, knowing that it had to be something bad, or Olympias would not have paused so.

"He fell from his horse," she told him calmly. "When he hit the ground, he broke his neck and died. I could have sworn I told my scribe to pen a message to you. But, perhaps I did not. It would have only upset you."

It did not feel any better hearing it now. Hephaestion glanced at Aryse again. He found himself not being able to look away. She had long raven hair that fell down to her lower back in tight wispy curls like Olympias'. Yet when he saw her eyes he knew he was paralyzed. Her eyes were a dark emerald green, like the leaves of trees he had seen in the forests of India.

"Aryse," Olympias called when she noticed Hephaestion staring again. The girl immediately stopped what she was doing. She was quickly by Olympias' side. Her eyes kept to the floor. It was something that Hephaestion thought was beneath her, to look at the floor when she should be holding her head high.

"Meet Hephaestion, he is the Grand Vizier. He is also a great friend to Alexander," Olympias said as an introduction. Aryse did not look up. She instead bowed slightly and kept her eyes on the floor. "I want you to go with him and help him unpack his things. He has had a very long journey. Draw him a bath if he should like one."

"I am fine," Hephaestion insisted. "There is no need for her to do any of my tasks. Thank you anyway, Olympias."

"No I insist," she said as she reached out and took the folded robe from his hands. She handed the garment to Aryse. The girl held it carefully. "Now you must take her. Let her be a gift to you Hephaestion."

"I could not accept."

"Of course you will though," Olympias insisted. There was something about her voice that could make her will be done. Hephaestion only nodded and turned, walking to the door with Aryse following closely behind him. After exiting the room he began down the hall. After being a safe distance away he turned to the girl, and took the robe from her hands.

"Let me get that," he said.

"My lord," she responded in a soft whisper. She then took the robe back from him. She never let her eyes be elevated. Hephaestion found it rather annoying. Yet he did not know if he could order her to look up, into his eyes. Before he could do anything, he heard Alexander call his name.

"Hephaestion, I was looking for you," Alexander said as he approached. When he reached them, and stopped, he noticed Aryse. He glanced at her and then turned his attention back to Hephaestion.

"A gift from you mother," Hephaestion told him. "Apparently she thought that a robe was not enough."

Alexander looked at the girl once more. She was ravishing to the eyes. However, he found himself wishing that she were not placed in Hephaestion's care. He knew that Hephaestion loved him, and him alone, but there was something about this girl that he did not trust. It was something that radiated from around her, her aura, which scared him.

But what could he say? If he told Hephaestion to give her back then his jealousy would be apparent. Not to mention, he had been with Bagoas for some time. In fact, Bagoas was still with him. He was at the moment tending to the needs of Roxanne. Who was he to tell Hephaestion that he could not too have someone to do his bidding for him?

"I will talk to her about it," was all that Alexander said. "You should get dressed. There is to be a feast in honor of our return. I will be in my rooms waiting for you when you are ready."

Hephaestion nodded, "I will not be long."

Alexander found it hard to turn and walk away. As he left, he glanced over his shoulder just in time to see Aryse entering Hephaestion's room. Before now Alexander had been the only one allowed in that room, other than Hephaestion. What was this feeling taking over him, he had never felt it before. Could it be jealousy?


	6. Welcoming

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 6, "Welcoming"

A/N: Thanks for your support, especially to Queen who does amazingly in-depth reviews. Hope you enjoy where I am going with this.

As soon as the doors opened men were standing, applauding, screaming like animals. Alexander let a small smile spread across his face. He raised his glass, as did all of the others, and without saying a word he took a drink. After doing so most of the attention surrounding his entrance went elsewhere. Alexander went to his seat, and then turned. Hephaestion was not far away, but had been stopped by Ptolemy. The two quickly embraced and then Hephaestion continued on his way until he reached the chair at Alexander's side.

"They seem pleased," Alexander stated as he drank deeply from his goblet. From the corner of his eye he saw Hephaestion look over at him. Alexander took the goblet from his lips and set is down upon seeing this. Hephaestion had not condoned his drinking for some time. Not since a night in India, where Alexander had foolishly hit him hard in the face, for no real reason.

"Your men love you," Olympias said as she sat on the other side of Alexander. Alexander glanced over at her. It was no wonder why many of the men had turned their heads. Yet at the same time they had quickly turned away to make sure that they did not offend Alexander. "It is easy to see that they are glad to be home."

"For some this is not home," Alexander stated.

"But it is closer." She could tell that saying anything more might anger Alexander. He son had always had a short temper, much like his father. So instead of instigating anything, she turned her attention to Hephaestion. "Hephaestion, where is Aryse? I thought that perhaps you would have brought her with you."

"I tried," Hephaestion said as he took his goblet of water in his hand. "She was rather insistent that she stay and unpack my things."

Olympias smiled, "She is well trained. I bought her from a noble Athenian family, before they were all executed of course, but the investment was still good. I hope that she can bring you much pleasure."

"He won't use her for that," Alexander cut in. He was going to tell her to stop trying to mess with the way of things. Especially the things that involved Hephaestion. Yet he did not get his chance, as the doors to the dining room were opened and Roxanne entered he knew that nothing good would come of her entrance.

"Alexander," she screamed, her face full of tears and hatred. Everyone instantly was silent and looking at her. Alexander sat up straighter, Olympias smiled, and Hephaestion sunk further down into his chair. Roxanne then began to address everyone in the hall. "Do you know how your king hates his wife?"

Alexander had already gotten up. Hephaestion set his goblet down and then rose as well. He followed Alexander, making sure to give him some room, yet still followed him. Olympias rose if only to get a better view. She knew the rage of a woman scorned, and she knew what Roxanne was planning to do. It was going to be a stupid move really, a move that could get her killed, but perhaps she did not know the way of things in a society other than that of a barbarian.

"He loves him," Roxanne spat out, pointing to Hephaestion as Ptolemy came forward and grabbed her arm to pull it down. Roxanne instantly disapproved of him doing such. "Do not touch me! You are filthy, all of you!"

Alexander grabbed her when he reached her and began to drag her out of the room. Roxanne fought back well, kicking and screaming, until others stepped in. Hephaestion grabbed both of her arms, pinning them behind her back, and helped Alexander escort her out of the room. Bagoas and Ptolemy ended up helping as well. As the doors closed Olympias let a smile cross her lips. There was still silence in the room, and many were turning to her.

"Continue," she said, raising her glass. "I will go and get my son. You all know how pregnant women can be."

There were laughs throughout the room. Olympias knew that this did not explain Roxanne's behavior. Yet some were naïve enough to think that it did. Olympias left the room calmly, as if nothing had happened. She then made her way down the grand halls, approaching the rooms that now belonged to Roxanne. As she approached she could hear the yelling from the open door, and the throwing of expensive gold and silver platters.

"I hate you," Roxanne screamed.

"Good," Olympias heard Alexander toss back at her. "Because I've come to hate you too!"

"You never loved me!"

"I did, for about five minutes! But look at what you do, Roxanne. How am I supposed to love you when you try to persecute me for anything that you can?"

"I am your wife, not him."

"I have told you where Hephaestion stands," Alexander said as another platter was thrown at him. This one he managed to catch and toss back at her. He was not aiming for her, or he would have hit her. "He is Hephaestion! He is Alexander, too! You will never be him, and you will never take his place in my heart!"

"I want his place in your bed," Roxanne screamed.

"You have no right to say such," Alexander said. He then turned and fled the room, shutting the door behind him. He then looked to the two guards he had placed outside of the room. "Make sure that she does not leave, and no one enters."

Olympias kept by her place in the shadows. As Alexander came down the hall he must have noticed her because he stopped. He then turned and approached her. He wrapped his arms around her, and just let her hold him for a moment. It seemed right, her being here, and her loving him.

Olympias held her son like she had not done in some time. The years really had changed him. It was not only his longer hair, or the scars he kept hidden, or the firmness of his brow. His spirit had been changed, altered. When he had left he feared nothing in the world, and nothing could make him change his mind about anything, or make him consider anyone beside himself. Yet this had changed, and it was not all Hephaestion's doing. It was the doing of life.

Life had been kind to him, and cruel to him. He had seen thousands of his men die, thousands of others that were not his men. Vulnerability had slapped him in the face when Hephaestion was poisoned, and was sick, and on the verge of death. Alexander had changed because life had willed it. He had learned to fear, not only for Hephaestion, but for himself as well.

Those around him at times hated him. Some were willing, like Roxanne, to risk everything to have him killed. For if the king were to die then his campaigns would die along with him. Olympias held him, feeling these thoughts leave his soul and enter hers. She could not protect him when he was far away, in India, and in Persia where she was not. Yet now she was here, and she would make sure that nothing harmed him again.

"Oh my Alexander," she whispered in his ear, "you are so strong."

He pulled away then with only a soft grin on his face to comfort her. He then continued down the hallway. Olympias turned and watched him go. She knew where he was going. He was going to the only place where he could still find comfort in the world. Hephaestion's doors would always be open for him. As he disappeared down the hall Olympias found herself turning, and looking at the closed doors of Roxanne's rooms. It was decided in that instant that she needed to speak with her son's wife, and perhaps she would be able to put some sense into her. Otherwise she would be forced to take worse measures.


	7. Comfort

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 7, "Comfort"

A/N: Still own nothing but my words. There is slash in this chapter, so if you have a problem with that, I suggest you skip this chapter.

Hephaestion looked up as the doors to his room opened. Alexander entered, clearly distressed. It did not surprise him that Alexander was here. When he was angered he often found his way to him. Hephaestion glanced down at Aryse, who was still arranging his clothing, and tilted his head towards the door. She knew what this meant and left the room quietly.

"How is she," Hephaestion asked as Alexander crossed the room.

"I despise her," Alexander insisted. He was close enough now that he was able to throw his arms around Hephaestion. He let out a deep breath into Hephaestion's shoulder. Hephaestion wrapped his arms lightly around Alexander and held him, knowing that in doing so it soothed Alexander more than a thousand kisses could have.

"I love only you," Alexander told Hephaestion as he drew back so that he could put a hand on his cheek and stare into the depths of his cerulean eyes. To him there was only one person in the world that loved him, and would protect him, and would never dream of hurting him in any way. Hephaestion was that man, and he loved him truly, as Hephaestion loved him. They were the same, but at the same time, so very different.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said as he took a lock of Alexander's blond hair and tucked it behind his ear. He then kissed him lightly on the forehead. "You know that I love you more than anything. I hate seeing you like this. Tell me what I can do."

Hephaestion did not have to wait for an answer. Instead, he brought his lips to Alexander's. He kissed him lightly, and told Alexander in doing so that he loved him and would never stop loving him. He would never hurt him, only love him. Alexander put a hand on Hephaestion's hip, the other he put on his neck. He then let his lips part to Hephaestion's and felt Hephaestion's tongue slide into his mouth, bringing passion and fire with its warmth.

Alexander let his hands find Hephaestion's robe, and he pushed the silk away. He just wanted to touch him, to know that he was truly there and not dreaming. He let his hands wander, one to the back where he felt the grand muscles in his shoulder. The other he placed on Hephaestion's chest, and he felt the warmth there, and it seemed as if it were only for him.

Meanwhile, Hephaestion continued to kiss him deeply. He let their lips part so that he may kiss his neck, and his shoulders, and then his pectoral muscles. Alexander shivered as Hephaestion drew him close and began to slowly pull at the tie to his robe. His fingers were delicate, soft, not like those of a man in the army. But somehow he had managed to keep his body delicate, yet perfect, if for only Alexander's sake.

Alexander's robe fell to the ground and Hephaestion brought them to the bed. He sat Alexander down, and then let Alexander slowly lower his silken trousers. Alexander kissed his hip, his lips like fire, before Hephaestion put a hand on his shoulder and lowered him onto his back. Alexander pulled himself further onto the bed, and let out a small gasp as Hephaestion began to pull his pants away from him. His fingers were light, barely touching his skin as he lowered the silk away from him. His light caresses sent shivers down the king's spine.

Hephaestion brought his lips back to Alexander's neck. As he trailed down to his chest Alexander wrapped his arms around Hephaestion's back. He dug his fingers into Hephaestion's flesh, knowing that he would not mind. Hephaestion continued to kiss him, sliding further and further down his chest. Alexander found himself gasping for breath when Hephaestion slid further, and took him in his mouth.

Hephaestion's hair was spread out on his chest, and was covering the sweat that was beading upon the both of them. Alexander wanted to reach down, and touch him, but could only reach his head. He wrapped his fingers in Hephaestion's head, and held him, as Hephaestion took him even deeper in his mouth.

"Phae," Alexander whispered his name. He knew that he would reach his climax in a matter of moments. He wanted to scream but couldn't find the breath for it. He arched his hips slightly before he came. He gasped out Hephaestion's name once more. He tried to reach out for him, to beckon him to come to him, but Hephaestion didn't come. Instead he continued to lap at him.

Finally he felt Hephaestion's lips come back to the hardened planes of his stomach. Alexander drew in a breath. He was reaching for Hephaestion again, and as Hephaestion's kisses came further up his chest, he found his hands on his shoulders. Hephaestion's lips came to his neck, and then to his lips. Alexander kissed him, as if he were desperate and would never see him again. Hephaestion did not mind Alexander's fervor, instead he kissed him passionately back. While he did, Alexander spread his legs, wanting to make sure that Hephaestion could comfortable position himself above him.

Hephaestion continued to kiss him as he shifted, positioning himself over Alexander. Alexander pulled at Hephaestion's back, wanting him to completely cover him. Hephaestion was careful though, as he lowered himself only a few inches closer to Alexander. He continued to kiss him, moving back to his shoulder, where he lightly bit Alexander.

Alexander began to move so that he would be on his chest. Hephaestion helped him do so, touching him lightly, and calmly. Alexander took Hephaestion's arm and pulled him so that he would be forced on top of him. Hephaestion let out a surprised gasp as Alexander reached back and pulled him to him. Alexander felt Hephaestion's erection pressed against him, and he wanted him, he wanted him more than he had any other night before.

"Phae," he seemed to plead. Hephaestion entered him, kissing his back, and letting his hands roam over his chest. He'd never heard Alexander seem so desperate in wanting him before. Yet he knew that Alexander loved him, only him, and needed him tonight more than ever.

Hephaestion put a hand on Alexander's back, and drew his fingers down his spine. Alexander let out a gasp as Hephaestion pushed himself further into him. He could feel him inside of him, and his sacs rubbing against him. Alexander called out his name again, this time a faint whisper, and Hephaestion reached his climax. Hephaestion, breathing hard, put his forehead to Alexander's back. He just breathed on him for a moment, kissing his back, before he could move.

They both lay there afterward, Alexander on his chest, Hephaestion on his back. There was a silence as Hephaestion pushed himself onto an elbow. He then lightly let his fingers wander over Alexander's back. He moved his hair off of his back and touched the hairs at the base of his neck. Alexander turned his head so that he could watch Hephaestion as he touched him fondly.

"You seem different," Hephaestion whispered quietly. "Tell me what is wrong. Tell me anything Alexander, I want to listen."

Alexander pushed himself onto an elbow so that he could look at Hephaestion. He reached out pulled a lock of hair away from Hephaestion's face. The hair was damp from perspiration. Alexander then touched his thumb to Hephaestion's lips. He was beautiful, and he was his.

"For the first time," Alexander quietly poured out his soul, "I felt scared. When you were ill, I was scared. Life isn't for us, is it Hephaestion? Is it all just the games of the gods, them pulling us around, wanting us to brake eventually? I feel broken, because I fear for what will happen to us, to you and I."

"Alexander," Hephaestion said quietly, "you yourself are the only god I have ever known. You have the world because of what you have done, not what others have done. You cannot worry about what happens around the corner. What is meant to happen, will happen. There is nothing you can do about life or death. Just live life, live it now, and nothing will separate us. Not even death.

"I have begun to wonder about Arabia."

Hephaestion's lips parted, as if he were going to speak. But he did not. Instead, he let out a soft breath of air. He then smiled softly. Leaning forward, he kissed Alexander lightly on the lips.

"You are Alexander," Hephaestion stated. "You are the sun, and no one can take that away from you. Fate can only get us so far. What you, you alone, chose to do makes you who you are. If you do not wish to go to Arabia, do not go. But if you want Arabia, it should not matter what any others say. Take Arabia. Let it be yours."

"You are the only one that has ever believed in me."

"No I'm not," Hephaestion said as he traced Alexander's jaw line with his fingers. It was true. There were others that believed in him, at least for the most part. But to say that he was the _only_ one to believe was false. Others believed in Alexander just as much as he did.

"You have never questioned me, never asked why. You just believed Hephaestion, as if it were meant to be. I love you Hephaestion, you and no other."

"I love you as well Alexander."

"Phae," Alexander said as he put his hand over his lover's on his face. "Tell me, promise me, that you will let me know if I am being an idiot. If I ever purpose an idea that is idiotic, tell me. And if I ever neglect you, ever, tell me Hephaestion. You never say a word. Please, be honest with me."

"Your ideas are never idiotic," Hephaestion said with a soft smile. He laughed softly then. "Perhaps at times they seem insane, but even in the face of an elephant army, your ideas work."

Alexander laughed. He then leaned forward, kissing Hephaestion, and pushing him back so that he was flat on his back. Alexander kissed his chest. He then put his forehead to Hephaestion's chest. Hephaestion put his hand on his head, gently brushing his hair with his fingers, and waited for Alexander to sleep.

Within a few moments, Alexander was asleep. Hephaestion just listened to his slow breathing for a moment. He just stared, wondering what had gotten into Alexander. But he could not complain. He was in Alexander's arms, and that was all that he had ever wanted of him. Hephaestion then lay back and closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep.


	8. Alexander's Queens

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 8, "Alexander's Queens"

A/N: Wow, somehow I just keep going and going without stopping. I hope that everyone is enjoying everything. Let me know how I am doing. Happy holidays to everyone!

Olympias silently strode down the hall. A long white snake was wrapped around her wrist, and was holding on tightly to her arm. She approached the guards in front of Roxanne's room. They both looked at her, and with their posture told her that she could not enter. However, Olympias had only to blink a few times at them. Suddenly their mind was changed and she entered the room.

Roxanne looked up from where she sat brushing her hair. She put the ivory comb down and stared at Queen Olympias. She wore a white dress, which held only at her shoulders, and showed her tanned cleavage, the dress dangerously low in the front. Yet the rest of the dress came down to the floor, golden beads sewn to the ends. Even her feet were in gold sandals.

She wore long silver earrings, and about her neck was a golden necklace with a large dark stone. Her arm had a golden snake cuffed around it, and in the other arm she held a real snake, an albino of some kind. Her looks were intimidating enough, her dark hair perfectly placed, the curls which touched her shoulders gracing her skin only slightly. This was enough to put fear in Roxanne's heart. Yet it was not this that scared her most of all, it was her eyes that gave fear to Roxanne.

Her dark eyes stared at Roxanne, showing that Olympias did not fear her in the slightest. She held power in her eyes. They shone, and told everyone at the same time that this was a woman you did not want to cross. Roxanne began to stand, but Olympias put up a hand, bidding her to stop.

"There is no need for you to rise," Olympias said as she came even closer. It was easy to see that Roxanne would have her stay further away. She did not trust her. Good, that was the effect that Olympias wanted, distrust and fear. "I have only come to speak to you about the child in your womb."

"My son," Roxanne said, putting her arms protectively around the bulge in her belly. Olympias had a smirk on her lips and Roxanne did not like it. She held her stomach, and sat a little straighter. Surely she did not wish the child harm, it was her grandson, and Alexander's heir to the throne.

"He will be heir to all of Alexander's empire," Olympias said as she found a spare chair and pulled it close. She then sat, putting one knee over the other. Even the way she sat demanded attention and fear of her. "He will be brought up by the best, as Alexander was. He will learn to rule, just like his father, and his father before him, and so on. Yes, your son will be well cared for."

"Yes, I have been told this."

"It is really not him that I fear for. It is you," Olympias stated icily. The ice from her breath was enough to be inhaled by another and their heart would freeze. Olympias leaned closer, the same evil smile on her face, her eyes glittering with the thought of what she was about to say. "You cause too much of a scene in the palace. I do not know how women are in your country, but here, they obey. You are not to question Alexander. He is your husband, yes, but he is really your king. Do you understand me?"

"Get out."

"Not yet," Olympias said, unafraid of the girl calling the guards, for she would not. "Do you think that causing him anger is the best idea? Surely you can see that he does not love you now. He might have at one time, but not now. You are a stupid girl to think that getting in front of his friends, and pointing out Hephaestion and his relationship, is going to do anything but bring you bad luck. What makes you think that he will not kill you once your child is born if you are behaving so!"

"He would never."

"I am his mother, I raised him. I taught him to get rid of those that we do not need. His father Philip took a mistress, who brought him another heir, and was going to replace Alexander on the throne. Do you know what happened to her, and to the babe? They were both killed. So was Philip."

"You killed your husband?"

"I did not say that. I merely said they were killed. Whether or not I had anything to do with it has nothing to do with your situation. I am merely warning you, Roxanne, not to think that you can do as you please here. You are nothing in the way of things. I will kill you myself if you ever try to embarrass my son so again."

"Everyone knows it," Roxanne protested.

"Knowing is one thing, but for you to come out and scream it out at a dinner is something completely different. It is none of your business, what my son and Hephaestion do behind closed doors."

"He is my husband."

"Yes, and he will be for some time. But Hephaestion came before you, and he will always be before you. Leave the both of them alone, or I will kill you." Olympias leaned forward, the snake on her arm. The snake's tongue darted out of its mouth. It then hissed, barring its fangs at Roxanne. "I am glad that you and I had this opportunity to speak."

She stood then, and began to leave the room. She glanced over her shoulder, just to see the look on Roxanne's face. It was fear, plain fear. Olympias left the room. As soon as the doors shut behind her she laughed. She then continued down the hall, the snake wrapped around her wrist and arm. She was not a poisonous snake, but her bite was worse than some venom.

Olympias made her way back to her room, pleased with what she had done. She let the snake free itself from her grasp. It slithered freely about the room with the rest of Olympias' snakes. The Queen went to her bed, and happily fell backward onto her furs and pillows. She sighed, things were actually interesting here. Amazing, she had heard from Hephaestion that things were rather dull.


	9. Aryse

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 9, "Aryse"

A/N: Thanks for the support, for those who have reviewed, and those have not. Hope that everyone is having a good holiday. Also, enjoy.

Her dark green eyes went immediately back to the floor when Hephaestion turned his head towards her. It was odd. She knew where she stood but was beginning not to care. She only wanted to be able to be near him, this great man. He was lovely, a true divinity. The power that was illuminating from his eyes was enough to make thousands of women want him, and she knew that she was not the only one, but also knew that the Vizier had eyes for only Alexander. Apparently it had been this way for some time.

Hephaestion watched her for a moment before he turned his attention back to Alexander. The meeting was going well. Lands were being divided, and laws were being created. Everything that involved running an empire was being seen to. However, it was rather tedious and boring at times. Hephaestion could not look away from Aryse for long. There was something about her that intrigued him greatly.

She sat in the corner, among a few other slaves, but did nothing. There were two girls weaving together, a tablecloth by the size of it. The other girls did things. The one eunuch was really only supposed to be watching the girls for one of the Companions sitting at the table, making sure that no other touched them. Hephaestion had nothing to assign to the girl and was beginning to think that he should have found something for her to do. Anything would have been better than having her sit there, listening to this boring nonsense, if she were really even listening.

"That is enough," Alexander said. Hephaestion's attention fell back to Alexander and the meeting. One of the Companions was now talking. He did not know when Alexander had stopped speaking, and where the other had began, but it didn't matter. They weren't going to discuss anything.

"I am growing tired," Alexander finished. The rest of the Companions were feeling much the same. Hephaestion watched as the others left. Soon the room had become only Alexander, Bagoas, Aryse, and himself.

"Never again," Alexander said. "The next time that I tell everyone I want to hold a meeting, advise me against it. Especially if we come to the fourth hour of sitting in the same room, listening to the same nonsense."

"It's not nonsense, it just became rather boring."

Alexander glanced over at Hephaestion and laughed. He had never heard Hephaestion seem so unenthusiastic about something in all of their time together. He glanced at Aryse and Bagoas. They were so very different, the two of them. However they were both the same thing in his mind. He glanced again at Hephaestion, and then at Aryse. He still held the same fear about her. There was something seductive about her, even though she only sat there, and he knew that Hephaestion would see it as well.

"Let us go to bed," Alexander said as he rose.

Before he could say anything else there was a knock at the door. Without waiting for an answer, Olympias entered the room. There was a smile on her face, one which Alexander knew well. She was up to something. He was not sure what it was but knew that it could not be good.

"Alexander," she said, "your wife would like a word with you. She is not feeling well. I believe that the baby is soon to be born, within the week at least. Come see her Alexander, she needs you tonight."

Aryse watched as Alexander left the room with Olympias. Alexander stopped at the door to look back at Hephaestion. It was easy to see his apology in his eyes. He would much have rather spent the night with Hephaestion. But it was Olympias that winked at her. After doing so she left the room, closing the door behind her as soon as Bagoas had followed Alexander out of the room. There was now only herself and Hephaestion. The tension she felt in the room was excruciating.

"I'm sorry," Hephaestion said after a moment. "If I would have known that things would get so tiring I would have found something for you to read."

Aryse smiled softly, though she still did not look at him. He noticed her smile though. Instantly he knew that it was not her smiling at him, but more at what she had said. She smiled because she was blushing in embarrassment, because she could not read. Hephaestion felt disgusted with himself. How could he have said something so stupid?

"Come," Hephaestion said as he stood. He did not know what he could do to brake the tension between them. After a moment he decided that there really was nothing that he could do. They would be like this for some time, and it was all Olympias' fault.

Together they walked back to his room. Something had changed within him though, in the time it took for him to walk down the hall and get here. He knew that it was the same change that Alexander had gone through when he had seen Bagoas. He looked at Aryse once more, knowing that lusting for her would only lead to something far worse, but could not stop himself.

Apparently his eyes gave too much away. Aryse turned, and for the first time in all the while he had known her, she looked up at him. Her emerald eyes met with his, and he knew that something terrible was going to happen. It was going to happen, and there was nothing he could do to stop it, because in honesty he really did not want to stop it. He wanted to be with Aryse.

It wasn't to get back at Alexander for Bagoas, or for Roxanne, or even for Stateira. It was something he could not imagine. He wanted to be with Aryse just to be with her. He saw Aryse, and he knew what he wanted in life. He wanted Alexander, but at the same time he wanted something permanent. He wanted a family, a son, like Alexander was going to have within the week.

It wasn't even all Aryse's fault. She wasn't trying to seduce him, at least not that he could see. Her beauty was a factor to him, because he knew that she was beautiful, but it was something else. When her eyes were on the floor, and he looked at her, he thought he was looking at himself for some reason. Her soul seemed to be like his, what he really was. She was someone that wanted something but could do nothing to get it, she was a slave, like he was a slave to Alexander's will.

As he looked at her she reached up and pushed the dress away from her shoulders. It fell from her body and landed in a pile at her ankles. She stepped over the cloth and came closer. Hephaestion turned, and faced the door, but could not find himself leaving. Instead, he found himself locking the door instead. He turned and faced her, thinking of what to do, but passion quickly swept over him.

Hephaestion grabbed Aryse and pulled her to him. He put one hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer to him. He pressed his lips firmly against hers, and took all of her mouth in his. As he kissed her he tried to keep in mind that she was not Alexander, she was far from him, and was far more fragile. As he kissed her she pulled at his clothing, freeing him from his breastplate and shirt. Hephaestion put a hand on the back of her leg and pulled her up upon him.

She wrapped her legs around his waist and let him kiss her chest and the flesh of her breast. Aryse, having never been with a man, cried out as he bit the soft flesh of her breast. It was light, playful really. He continued to kiss her, and finally threw her back against the bed.

He removed himself from the rest of his clothing. He then carefully crawled onto the bed. If Aryse was regretting what she was doing, she showed no signs of it. Instead, she leaned up and put her lips against his once more. Hephaestion let his hands find her body. He ran his hands over the soft flesh of her chest, her thighs, like he did with Alexander. Yet he found himself being more careful, as if he would brake her at any moment.

Hephaestion put his hand on one of her thighs and pushed her leg away from the other. She shifted, lifting her hips slightly, and as he kissed her throat he slowly lowered himself closer to her. He kissed her lightly as he slid inside of her. At first she only breathed out gasps, but when he filled her completely, she let out a soft cry of pain. He kissed her lightly, knowing that it was just part of her becoming a woman, but at the same time he did not want to hurt her.

He put a hand behind her, on the small of her back, and pulled her up from the pillows. He wrapped his arms around her, holding her in the air, and kissed every part of her that he could reach. After a few moments of just holding her, and kissing her, he rocked his hips lightly against hers. The motion caused Aryse to gasp, as he moved the both of them, but she did not complain. Instead, she kissed him passionately and wrapped her hands in his hair.

Hephaestion kissed her neck where it met her shoulder, heatedly holding her as he steadied her in their motion. He then gasped as her nails dug into his back. Each time he hoisted her she cried out in little excited gasps. He carefully let her go then, and covered her body with his own. He kissed every inch of her, until he came inside of her, causing him to let out a moan that had been lodged deep in his throat.

"Hephaestion," she whispered as he continued to kiss her body. Even though his pleasure was over he continued to please her. He kissed her lips again, hard. He then fell away from her and lay on his back, silently stroking her hair. Aryse fell asleep quickly. The fervor of their lovemaking had quickly tired her. Hephaestion watched her sleep for a moment, but he could not sleep. Instead, he waited for more time to pass, and he then sneaked out of the room. (-Why is snuck not a word?)


	10. Truths

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 10, "Truths"

A/N: This story is taking all of twists and turns. I hope everyone is enjoying, and that no one minds what the characters are doing as of now. Please read and review. Happy holidays!

Alexander had been with Roxanne for some time. As his mother had said, she was due within the week. Alexander entered his room, rather tired of Roxanne's constant complaining. He had left Bagoas with her. He felt rather bad for the poor thing, having to sit with Roxanne, but he did not seem to mind. Instead he seemed rather glad to have a purpose.

As soon as he entered the room he knew that Hephaestion was there. He could sense his presence, not to mention the candle burning by his bed. Alexander came closer, and saw Hephaestion, and his heart stopped. Hephaestion stared at the wall, looking at nothing, and was as white as he had been when he was sick in Ecbatana. The king froze, fearing what could be wrong, and then snapped out of it. He rushed forward, and dropped to his knees in front of Hephaestion.

"Hephaestion," he said, seeing a far off look in his eyes. He put a hand to his cheek. He was cold, but not sick. It was something else that was bothering him. "Hephaestion, tell me, what is it?"

Hephaestion seemed to notice him then. It was as if he had not before. He looked at Alexander, his eyes still holding that far off look. He then glanced at Alexander's arm, which extended to his face. After a moment he merely shook his head and let tears fall onto his cheeks.

"Phae," Alexander pleaded with him now, his worry for him growing. "Tell me, what has happened. I need to know."

"Alexander," he said as his tears fell. Alexander leaned close to him and wrapped his arms around him. He just held him, and felt him shake in his clutches. Hephaestion could not even find the strength to wrap his arms around him. Instead he tried to choke out what he had to say. He was doing a terrible job. "Alexander, I'm sorry. I love you…only you…but I just…I don't know what I wanted…or what I was thinking…but I love you. I love you Alexander, more than...anything…I love only you."

"Phae," Alexander said as he drew away so that he could look at him. With his thumbs he wiped the tears away from under Hephaestion's eyes. He stared at him, and already knew what had happened. He knew because it was the one thing he had feared for some time now. He felt his own eyes well with tears, and he began to cry as well, but wrapped his arms around Hephaestion all the same. "Its alright Hephaestion. I love you, only you. Nothing can come between us."

"But," Hephaestion began. However, Alexander silenced him quickly by putting a finger to his lips. He then kissed him, softly, knowing that it would soothe Hephaestion. For the first time, Hephaestion wrapped his arms around Alexander, and held him closely.

"I love you Hephaestion," Alexander said again. He said it firmly. It was concrete. He knew that he loved Hephaestion, and knew that this would not be enough to come between them. "It is fine Hephaestion. I love you, only you. You could never have my anger towards you."

"I'm sorry," Hephaestion choked out through his tears. It had hurt so badly when Alexander had taken Bagoas. Yet, at the same time, he had just done the same thing to Alexander. How could he have done such a thing, knowing how it felt? "By the gods, I am sorry."

"Do you love me," Alexander asked, his own tears beginning to flow more freely. He took Hephaestion's face in his hands and looked at him. Hephaestion took his hands and put them on Alexander's wrists. "Tell me that you love me Hephaestion, and all will be well. If you don't then I will understand, because I have forced you to do this with my neglect. I was a fool to think that I could have you without working for it. I was a fool to assume that you did not have desires. Just tell me Hephaestion, do you love me?"

"More than anything," Hephaestion said.

"Then," Alexander said as he wiped more of Hephaestion's tears away, "that is all that I need to know. I love you Hephaestion, only you."


	11. Tales

Title: "After Ecbatana" 

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 11, "Tales"

A/N: Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing. Queendel, I don't know what I would do without you. Thanks for your wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoy the next installment of my madness. Also, Moon71, I've picked up your zero trick to separate paragraphs, hope you don't mind! Baliansword

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The last two days had come about rather slowly. Alexander was torn between three worlds. There was Alexander the king, and he had to go on running his empire. Yet there was also Alexander, the husband of Roxanne, who was about to have a child. But it was Alexander, the lover of Hephaestion, which was begging for all of his attention.

He knew that he could never be angry with Hephaestion. He had only done the exact same thing that he had. Yet, it seemed different, because Alexander feared that perhaps Hephaestion really would love Aryse. Maybe she would be the one that would have her way with him, and finally take Hephaestion away from him. But perhaps he deserved it, perhaps the gods laughed at him and were teaching him a lesson. They mocked him, Alexander the Great had taken many wives and even Bagoas as a lover, but had loved none of them. Hephaestion had taken one wife, upon his request, but had found his own lover –one that he may love. Curse Aphrodite, Alexander thought to himself.

Presently he had just left Roxanne's rooms. Bagoas followed him out, wanting to be near him should he need anything. Alexander presumed that Bagoas knew there was tension between him and Hephaestion. Every time there was the eunuch found a way to be closer to him. Just in case his needs needed to be attended to, his sexual needs, Alexander figured. Despite the presence of the Persian boy, it was something else that caught Alexander's attention. It was Hephaestion's laugh that caught him by surprise.

He saw him then, sitting in the sun on a balcony, with Aryse across from him. Alexander froze. If his legs would have been able to move he would have gone, made his presence known, and perhaps said something to cut the girl. Anything that he could say to make her leave would have been good at this moment. Yet he found that he could not move. He could only stand there, staring at Hephaestion's glowing radiant smile, and feel his heart being broken into a thousand shards.

There was something different about Hephaestion, something that Alexander had not seen since they were just boys. Before conquests had been the ambition in their lives, before the ways of life and the world had made themselves known to them, they were merely boys. They were merely boys in love. Hephaestion had looked different when they were younger, and simply in love, it was something that had been taken away as he grew into a man. It was a twinkle in his eye perhaps, and the way that his eyes fluttered down when he smiled, and the way that he spoke as if every word were an embarrassment.

As Alexander looked at him now, from the shadows, he saw that look in his eyes. He saw the way that he smiled, the way that he spoke, as if not to offend Aryse with anything that he said. Alexander found himself reaching out for the pillar, and holding it, for if he did not he feared that he would fall. Yes, he could feel his heart shattering but knew that there was nothing to do to change it. It had already happened. Hephaestion already was in love with this girl, and this girl would replace Alexander in his heart.

Alexander could watch this no more. He slipped away in silence, Bagoas following him. Even he had glanced over at Hephaestion and had seen what was going on. He had seen what Alexander had come to fear. Hephaestion on the other hand had not seen Alexander. If he would have, he would not have let him leave so simply. He would have gone after him and tried to explain himself, and what he was feeling, to the love of his life. But he didn't see him, so there was no opportunity to do so. Instead of apprising Alexander to his feelings, he continued his conversation with Aryse, not knowing that Alexander had ever been near.

"Macedonia sounds wonderful," Aryse concluded, after Hephaestion had finished describing the land to her. He had also told her tales of the things he remembered doing there as a child. Most of his stories evolved around things that he and Alexander had done, and he had not left that out. In fact, he had told her everything.

There was something about the shimmer in her eyes that made him trust her entirely. He felt like he could tell her all of his heart's secrets and she would keep them for him. So as he told the tales of his childhood, he began to tell her of Alexander, and what the two of them had done together. He told her how Alexander had tamed Bucephalus, and told her how worried he had been. It had nothing to do with him really, it was Alexander's great narrative, but he felt that she should know of it. But the more he told her of his life, the more he knew that he had to tell her about Alexander, and as he watched the fascination grow in her eyes he knew that he could tell her everything.

He told her of how he fell in love with Alexander. At first it was just a feeling, something that he could not explain. But then it grew into something else. He wanted to constantly be around Alexander, and when they parted he was saddened. It could have been just a close friendship, at least as a child he had assumed as such. Yet as he came into his teenage years he knew that it was different.

He wanted to be around Alexander, and to touch him. Every time he brushed against him, no matter how he did it, he would get a shiver down his spine. It could not be explained at first. But it soon seemed to leap out at him, the answer to his feelings. He loved Alexander, as he knew he would never love another again. After some time of hiding his feelings, he made them known to Alexander, and was glad that Alexander felt the same.

They did not just share each other's beds. They shared something far more. They shared a soul it seemed, what effected one would hurt the other. It had been that way for some time. There was nothing they could do about it. Aphrodite had pushed them together, and they knew that they could not be separated. Yet at the same time they did not want to be separated.

Hephaestion told her this, and she listened quietly. She took everything in, even as he spoke of their conquests in foreign lands. He told her how his heart broke when Alexander took Bagoas as his lover. He told her that he knew it was not love, but lust, yet he could not deny that it pained him deeply. Aryse listened to this, and as he continued to tell her everything between him and Alexander, she never flinched.

He expected her to, though he did not know why. He trusted her completely, but telling her of his affairs with the king was something that he figured would have changed her mind about him. It did not seem to though. She did not seem to care that he found his love in the arms of another man. In fact, she seemed to find it fascinating. Hephaestion continued his tale, until they reached Babylon, and told her that he was now sitting on the balcony with her. She laughed, and he realized that he had never heard her do so before, and as she did he realized something else.

It might have come from the melody of her laugh, the way she smiled, or it may have even been her eyes. All of these things may have helped him realize that perhaps he loved her too. Not as he loved Alexander, but he did love her. He trusted her, and he knew that there would never be a day when he did not have to. Looking at her, he knew all of this, and it did not worry him.

Alexander had taken wives, many wives, and had always wished him to do the same. Alexander had even married him to Drypetis, the sister of Stateira, but he did not love her. Her company was good, and they spoke of things from time to time. But it was not like what he had just shared with Aryse. He would never have told Drypetis things so personal to him, not necessarily because he did not trust her or find her to be a friend, but because he knew that she would not care. Maybe not even understand. Aryse on the other hand listen as if it were a famous tale told by Homer, and she cared about the ending, and she yearned to know about Hephaestion.

It amazed him, that he could be feeling this for her. He did not know if Alexander would understand. Yet for the first time in so many years, perhaps all of his life was he to think hard about it, he did not care if Alexander approved. He did not need his permission, for Alexander had never needed his. This was about him, and him alone, what he needed in life. Right not, it seemed that he needed Aryse. He needed her not for her body, but for her companionship. She would be there for him, and she would listen, and Hephaestion had no one else to do such when Alexander was missing from his bed.

"What about you," he asked. "What is your story?"

She shrugged softly, and looked out at the sun. She then turned her face back to him. Her eyes held her secrets. He had known this from the moment he met her, and he did not try to pry into the depths of them, for it was not his place. He figured that she was not going to tell him, and this did not bother him. It was her story to tell, and if she did not trust him with it so be it, for perhaps one day she would. But as soon as he thought there was no hope of hearing the tale of her life, her moist lips parted, and she began to speak.

"I was born in Athens," she began the story, her voice soft, her mind reliving the memories she told him as she did. Hephaestion did not know how interesting her story would be. "I was not born a slave, as you may have thought. I was born into a wealthy Athenian family. My father was a rich merchant, my mother was the daughter of a rich banker. We had money, and I had everything I could ever want. But one day my father, while on the sea watching his merchandise, was killed by pirates. They were some far off island and there was nothing anyone could do to bring them to justice."

"My mother," she continued as Hephaestion listened in silence, "loved my father very much. She did what she could, but soon the money disappeared. Her parents were dead and her brother would not take us in because he had a family of his own. Yet my mother was proud, and stayed at our home, until there was no money at all. She told me that she would rather starve than do anything else.

"And that is what we were doing, starving. But before she could starve my mother died of a broken heart. She left me, alone, and I was but a little girl. I was five when she died and was alone in the world, like so many orphans are. One day a man came, the new owner of the house and land, and he looked me over. He said that I was a good girl, and that he was going to make sure that I had a good home. That is when he took me to a slave trader.

"The man was nice I suppose. He never raised a hand to me, but he sold me to someone that did. A rich Athenian family bought me, to play with their daughter. Yet they too were loosing money and needed to sell me to put more food on the table. By then I was fourteen, and nothing but a slave. So they sold me to the first person that appeared with money. That is when I was sold to Olympias.

"I did not know who she was at first, but she was very kind to me. Besides, who was I to complain? She took me back to Macedonia with her, and it was then that I found out that she was queen. She told me that it could change nothing between us, for I regarded her as a friend, and perhaps a mother by the time we reached the palace. She showed me the ways of a woman, taught me what I needed to know to stay in her service, and I told her I would not disappoint her. She told me that I would someday have a purpose.

"Then, two years later, she told me to pack my things for we would be travelling to Babylon. I had heard of the place before. She spoke often of her son Alexander, and told me of his campaigns, and how he had won Persia from a man named Darius. She told me that Alexander was the son of a god, and after telling me of how he defeated army after army, I believed her. She told me as we were on our way that it would be in Babylon that I would find my purpose.

"And then, I saw you, when you first arrived. When you first walked into the rooms of the queen I sensed something about you. It took everything in me not to look up at you. But I knew when Olympias called for me that it was you that would show me what my purpose was. Does that sound odd to you, my knowing that you would lead me on my way?"

"No," Hephaestion said, shaking his head.

"Good," she said with a soft laugh. "I thought that you would think me insane. That is my story though, up till now. Where I will go from here I do not know. Perhaps not even the gods know. It seems that they do not really care one way or another about me."

"They brought me to you," Hephaestion whispered. He then brushed a piece of dark hair away from her cheek, tucking it gingerly behind her ear. "I will thank them for that, everyday as I wake. Just as I thank them for Alexander."

"Am I the only one that knows, about you and Alexander I mean?"

"No," he laughed now. "You are not the only one that knows. Others know, in fact, everyone that saw us on campaign at least thinks that we share a bed. Most of them are bold enough to say that they know it is true. It is, of course, but they do not know how we feel. They just write it off as the frustrations of war. On campaign many men will take another male lover, they don't think anything of it."

"I see."

Hephaestion stared at her as the sun shone down brightly on the two of them. There was something about the way the rays fell over her soft skin that made him think of bedding her. She was the only woman that he had ever thought of doing such with. She was the only one that he wanted to be with, out of all the women he had seen in every land that he had traveled, but it was not as if she tried to make him feel this way. She only had but to sit there, and he thought of her in such a way. He wanted to be with her again, as he had been just two nights ago.

Then, he felt something else, and the realization of the feeling hit him as the wind passed by them. He did want her for her companionship, above anything else. Except that was not all that he wanted of her. He wanted to be her lover, to treat her as a man should a woman, and he wanted to keep such a relationship with them for the rest of his life. He wanted to marry her, and have children with her, and do everything else that Alexander would be doing with Roxanne as a husband.

Perhaps she knew what he was thinking. Maybe that was the way of a woman, how they knew all of the secrets that a man held. Maybe they could hear such private thoughts as they drifted on the wind. For as he thought this, she turned her face to him, and smiled softly. Hephaestion looked at her for a moment but he then leaned forward, and putting a hand on her cheek, he drew her to him and kissed her. The kiss sealed his fate it seemed.

"Aryse," he spoke softly into her ear, his lips kissing the lobe of her ear and her neck, "I have something to ask of you."

"Yes?"

"Marry me," he said as he drew back, so that he could look deep into her dark emerald eyes. He felt his heart jump. He knew that she could refuse him, and if she had a mind, she would have. She did not know him, and he had proven nothing to her about himself. Yet she smiled, and did not say no, but instead nodded.

"Of course," she replied.

Hephaestion did not know whether to scream or cry. So he did neither. Instead he leaned back to her and pressed his lips firmly against hers. He kissed her, kissed her how he used to kiss Alexander when they were younger and Alexander wanted nothing in the world but him. It was decided then, that they should be married. Hephaestion had nothing left to do, but to tell Alexander.


	12. Changing Lives

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 12, "Changing Lives"

A/N: Hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday. Also, I hope that everyone enjoys this new chapter. I thought that we needed some more flavor, because there are so many great characters to work with, so I hope that everyone can bear with me.

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Bagoas heard the babe wail as he stepped out of the room. It was usually not permitted for many to be in the birthing room, but Alexander had pulled him into the room with him. Things had gone so fast that Bagoas could not really put all of the details back in order. He wouldn't be able to write them down clearly, but he would do his best. He chuckled to himself as he walked down the hall.

Out of all of the names in the world, Alexander had not even considered a single name that Roxanne had thought of. Instead, he named the boy as it left the womb. He was saying the name over and over again. What was Roxanne going to do? Everyone in the room already knew that the name was going to be permanent. Alexander, as father, was given the right of naming the child anyway. In other lands it was different, but Bagoas would remind Roxanne that this was not another land, this was the land of Alexander the Great.

"Hephander," the king had said as the child was cut away from Roxanne's room. Bagoas knew what the name meant. It was Hephaestion, and Alexander, made into one name. It was rather sweet he thought. Roxanne would not think so though. It would just be another stab to her heart.

Bagoas went to his rooms until late at night. He wrote down what had gone on in the day. The birth of the heir of Alexander's empire took up most of the pages he wrote on. But when he grew tired and there was nothing left to tell he got up, putting out the candle on the desk, and left the room. There was a grand feast going on tonight, and he was going to make himself present. He knew that Alexander would be thrilled to see him. He was thrilled at anything at the moment. It was from having a son. It would wear off though, like all of his moods eventually did, until they found their ways back again.

As Bagoas walked down the hall, taking turns here and there, he suddenly felt that he was being followed. He did nothing about it though. He knew that no one would dare harm him today. If anyone ruined this day for Alexander they would die a slow painful death. That Bagoas was sure of. As he suspected, he made it to the dining hall without any trouble.

He entered, and immediately Cassander approached him. Bagoas had never had any feeling towards Cassander one way or the other. At times the man seemed well enough, but at others, he had a terrible streak of rage in his blood. After meeting Olympias, Bagoas wondered if perhaps she had born him too, for they had the same air about them. However, he feared Olympias, and did not fear Cassander as much –yet he did fear him a little.

"Bagoas," Cassander exclaimed, obviously drunk, as he put an arm around his shoulders. He turned Bagoas with him, almost spilling the contents of his goblet as he did, and waved his free arm about the room. "We are having a celebration. Perhaps you could dance for the king."

Bagoas knew that he would do such if Alexander asked. Yet he was not about to do anything instructed by Cassander. Especially in this state. Instead, he nodded mutely, and waited for Cassander's attention to be taken elsewhere. It took only a few moments. The man was then turning, talking to Ptolemy, and a group of women that he had about him. Bagoas slipped away, making his way to where Alexander would be.

But as he approached, he could see that Alexander was not in the same mood he had been earlier. Hephaestion was at his side, kneeling at the side of Alexander as he sat on his grand chair, speaking softly too him. He seemed to be pleading as well. Bagoas only got a little closer, so that he could hear what was being said better, before he stopped and made his presence less known by the way he stood. Just by shifting his weight differently he stood not as tall, and was not noticed by anyone. It was amazing what years as a slave could teach one.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said quietly as he pleaded with him, trying not to draw attention. It was clear that he was asking for something that Alexander would not give him. His eyes showed his hurt, as did the way his lip seemed to tremble, as if he were going to cry. Bagoas knew that he would not though. It was beneath Hephaestion to cry in public. Later, perhaps, he would let the river of tears he held behind his eyes fall.

"Alexander please," Hephaestion pleaded, his heart braking, the sound of it obvious in his voice. "Alexander, listen to me before you get angry with me. It changes nothing between us. Alexander…Alexander are you listening to me?"

"No," Alexander said suddenly. He had a hand pressed to the side of his face, as if it would control the redness that came to his face. It was clear that he was upset, but hurt more than anything. Bagoas felt terrible, seeing Alexander like this, and vowed that he would help him through whatever pained him. Hephaestion had clearly caused it.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said again, his voice trembling. It was not fear of Alexander's rage that made him do so. It was the fact that he had offended Alexander that was panicking him, not because he feared his wrath, but he did not want him to be angry with him. He did not want him to stop loving him as he did. "Alexander, just hear me out will you?"

"No," Alexander screamed finally. Bagoas listened as the noises around the room all ceased. Alexander did not care about being heard though. He was so angry, he did not seem to notice, he just continued. He stood in a furry, looked down at Alexander, and continued to yell. "I do not want to listen Hephaestion, because I don't care!"

"Alexander," Hephaestion began, but was cut off.

"Go then," Alexander spat, flinging his arm as he did. "Go live your life if you want to do so badly! Get out, and never come back! Never speak to me again Hephaestion Amyntor, never, do you understand? I never want to see you again! Now leave!"

Hephaestion rose, and left the room in a walk that was the closest thing that one could get to running. Alexander surveyed the room then, after Hephaestion was gone. Bagoas knew what would happen next. He would turn his rage to those that were still around.

"What," he screamed to everyone listening. "Go on, enjoy your party! Do not concern yourself with me!"

Bagoas watched as the king fled the room just as Hephaestion had. A lover's spat no doubt. They had had them before, little fights, but never had Alexander said such words to Hephaestion. When they had fought before they would just leave and not speak to one another for a day or two. Never had Alexander, well, banished Hephaestion. He'd never even told he guards to deny Hephaestion entrance to his rooms.

Interested in what Alexander would do next, he left the room. No one seemed to notice. Everyone had gone on with their drinking. It only showed how much they all cared for Alexander. They cared about as much as Bagoas cared about the weather in Syria. That would be, not at all.

Alexander was in his room, Bagoas found out as he inspected the rooms he thought Alexander would go to. He cried, and continued to as Bagoas entered the room from the secret passage hidden in the wall. The other door had been locked. Perhaps he should not have done so, but Alexander did not seem to mind. Instead he looked up from the furs his face was pushed in to, and he held out a hand. Bagoas took it and let Alexander draw him down onto the bed.

The king cried for the rest of his night, cried into Bagoas' shoulder. Bagoas never spoke. He did not need to. He needed only to hold Alexander until he fell asleep. After he did, Bagoas kept guard over him. When the sun was just rising and a new day was put before him, Bagoas gently put Alexander's head onto a pillow, and sneaked out of the room.


	13. Exile

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 13, "Exile"

A/N: Thanks again for all of the support, from both reviewers and simple readers. Please continue to send your reviews, to let me know what you think. Enjoy!

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The knock at the door was rather expected. Olympias stood, and went to the door. Before she opened it she glanced over at her bed. A frown crossed her lips. At least the furs on the bed hid Cassander enough. She wondered how he could sleep through all of the noise that had been going on all night, and all morning for the matter. Nevertheless, Olympias pulled the door open.

Alexander looked like he had been to the Underworld, had a fight with Hades, and had swam the river Styx back. His golden hair was tossed about as if he had not slept in ten years. His clothing was ruffled, and had been worn last night. His eyes were red from the crying he had been doing, his cheeks stained with tears. Olympias decided to let him in. Even if he were to see Cassander, he would not say anything, he would be concentrating on only one subject.

"He is not here," Olympias said as Alexander entered the room and she sat down. She picked up the snake that had been slithering over the parchment she was writing on. While she did this she pretended not to be concerned with Alexander in the least. Well, she really did not care about his problems at the moment. He had brought them all upon himself.

"Do you know where he is," Alexander asked. It took Olympias a moment to respond. He had before done some stupid things in his life. Sending Hephaestion into exile was by far the most absurd thing he had done as of yet though. Olympias looked up, the pen in her hand stopping. Her eyes were cruel, her words icy and cold, yet they stung and burned like lighting and fire.

"He was exiled," Olympias responded. "He left just after."

"What," Alexander said, his voice almost failing to come to him. The words barely made it out of his throat. Exiled, no. That was not what he had wanted. He had not meant that he never wanted to speak to him again, and he did not want him to leave. Alexander felt his heart braking even more. No, he had been foolish in his rage. He had only wanted Hephaestion to understand that he loved him and did not want to share him.

"That is what people do when they are told to leave," Olympias continued. She did not soften her attitude. Alexander did not deserve is. He deserved to be whipped, if she had any say in it. What a foolish, foolish man. He had everything, but would throw it away, when Hephaestion had asked something completely reasonable. "They leave."

"Mother," he pleaded with her, "I did not mean for him to leave. I only, I don't know what I was thinking when I said those things. Do you know what he asked me?"

"A mother knows everything," she replied simply as she put her snake on the floor. If it went and bit Alexander it would not be her fault. It would be a punishment from Aphrodite. There was no such luck though. She went back to her writing. "He should have asked you nothing."

"What?"

"You heard me," she said without pause. "I said that he should have asked you nothing, and I mean it. Did you ask him when you took Stateira? Or did you ask him what he thought of Roxanne? What about Bagoas, did you ask about the Persian eunuch before you took him into your bed?"

"How dare you," he loudly said. The rage was clearly coming back. But Olympias did not mind. She knew how her son could be. The only thing that kept her calm was that she knew he could yell, but her words could slice his throat, and tear at all the strings of his heart.

"I'm not the one that takes multiple lovers," she shot back, her voice never changing. "I'm not being hypocritical either. I do not do one thing, and then tell the man that I love that he cannot do the very same. Tell me Alexander, why did you force him to marry Drypetis?"

"I did not force him to do anything!"

"He does not love her. I don't think he would have, had you not pushed him so. What did you tell him? I wonder, did you promise him that it would not be so bad? Did you tell him that you had married Stateira, and the both of you could father children, and all would be well?"

"What is this game that you play?"

"Not a game. Just facts, Alexander. You made him marry her because perhaps you knew that Hephaestion could never love her. That gave you enough security. It is sad though, no children came from either of your marriages. His, because he was not in love. Yours, I think your humility cursed you and you couldn't do the poor girl right in bed."

"How dare you," he screamed.

"Oh yes, blame me for your mistakes. At least you got it right with Roxanne, which surprised me. But when Hephaestion told me why, I understood. Sad that you had to think of him, and scream out his name. I wonder how that made Roxanne feel, not that I care. I actually wished her death in childbirth. Now we'll just have to do something else, won't we?"

"Stop, you sorceress."

But she did not stop. She did not think he could make her, even if he were to leap at her and strangle her, as he perhaps wanted to right now. No, he did not scare her. She was not doing this all for her own pleasure, or to teach him a lesson though. She was doing this for Hephaestion. It must have been the fact that he was more a son to her than Alexander that made her do so. In fact, she was writing to him now.

"I don't see what you find wrong with Aryse. She comes from a good family, a good upbringing. She will give him lovely children. What did you tell yourself Alexander? Did you tell yourself that Hephaestion was blind- that he was under a spell and could not love her? Were you trying to save him, is that it?"

"No," Alexander exploded. "I love him! I love him more than I love anything in this world, and he is the only thing that no other can have! Did you hear that, gods above? No other can take him from me!"

"Hephaestion was not leaving you," she hissed. "He was merely trying to have a life, one which was somewhat normal. He has followed you across the world, done your biding, warmed you bed! He has been your slave for far to long. He only wanted to have a child! And perhaps he wanted to have someone with him that would ask him for nothing, just his company!"

"How dare you," he said, tears now coming to his eyes and running down his cheeks. He pointed at her, his cheeks red, his body shaking with anger. "That is all I ever wanted of him!"

"You, you, you. Does everything ever not begin with what you want? Hephaestion did not want to leave Macedonia, he did not want to fight in you war, or loose you to Roxanne, or Bagoas! Hephaestion wanted only you. He gave himself freely to you though. Instead of seeing that, you just took and took and took from him, and now he has nothing left Alexander! You are the one that is killing him, slowly and swiftly."

Alexander tried to look away, as she stood and approached, but she stopped that quickly. "Look at me Alexander! I want you to hear this. Hephaestion loves you, and still does. He only wants what you have, what he thinks will please you. Can you not see that?"

"What," Alexander said as he tried to push her away. "He wants to be rid of me. He is like all of the rest of them. He hates me!"

"Love and hate are a fine line with you!"

"Just tell me where he is!"

"Why," Olympias asked. "Why should I tell you where he is? You are only going to hurt him more. You will not be civil. You will just go to him, and take out your rage on him."

"You know where he is," Alexander asked, his voice cracking. He hated her, hated her more than he could describe. But if she knew, truly knew, where Hephaestion was he had to know. He wanted not to anger him more, but to hold him, and kiss him, and feel his breath against his neck. He wanted only that. Nothing more, nothing more, he just wanted Hephaestion back. He wanted things to be so less complicated. He wanted it to be simple. He just wanted Hephaestion.

"Of course," Olympias said as she sat back down and picked up her pen. "I told you, he has become more of a son to me than you."

"Mother, tell me where he is."

"I don't think he wants to see you."

"He wouldn't say that!"

"No," she agreed. "He would never say that. Love blinds him. But I won't let you hurt him anymore Alexander. I'm sick of reading letters from him. Do you know that I read his letters, and he tries to hide his pain, but his writing will not let him? He cries on the parchment Alexander! But never, never has he spoken ill of you, or regretted anything he has done with you."

"Tell me where he is, and I will make it right," he said as he fell to his knees at her feet. He cried, and he refused to stop. He deserved to cry. He only wanted Hephaestion. Why would she just not tell him?

"I told you, he left."

"Where did he go mother? Where, just tell me where!"

Olympias moved her leg as he reached for it. She then went back to writing. Every time he reached for her she would move. He was crying so badly that his reflexes were terrible. It did not take much for her to keep him off of her. Suffering would be good for him, she decided, but he needed to do years more of it.

"Mother," he begged, this time more sincere, "please tell me where he is. I just want to speak to him, I swear it. I just want to tell him that I love him. I just want to hold him in my arms. Mother, if you have ever loved in your life, feel what I am feeling now and tell me where Hephaestion is."

Olympias glanced down, "I don't think he will see you."

He thought that she was not going to tell him. He believed that he would never again see Hephaestion. Hephaestion was strong, so much stronger than he was, and would not come back. He would never look to see him again if he wanted. Gods, he had been an idiot, and now Hephaestion was gone. He was gone, and he would not come back.

"Three streets down," Olympias said as she continued to write. It caught Alexander off guard. Yet he listened intently. He knew that she would not repeat it twice. "Turn left. Two roads down on the corner. A small inn, he is there. Just ask and I am sure the man there will lead him to you."

"Thank you," Alexander said as he stood. He then fled the room. Olympias glanced up, as the door slammed shut. She then smiled as Cassander groaned from the bed. He'd had enough wine to sleep through Alexander's entire fit. She glanced over her shoulder and then looked back to her writing. Love was a very interesting thing.


	14. Finding Hephaestion

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 14, "Finding Hephaestion"

A/N: Wow, if you are panicking about anything, don't worry. I love Hephaestion. He will end up fine!

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Alexander took the directions that Olympias had given him. He left the palace, hidden beneath a great deal of robes. He wanted to make sure that no one would follow him or recognize him. He wanted nothing coming between him and Hephaestion, especially now.

It did not take him long to reach the inn. He was easy to see that Hephaestion had gone where no one would recognize him. The area was not poor, he supposed, but it was clearly not the lap of luxury. It was in an area where it seemed only Persians came. Maybe Hephaestion had picked this inn for that very reason, for Alexander knew that not far away there was a better inn, one which catered to men of the western world.

Nonetheless, Alexander entered the inn. He was not recognized by anyone, or if he was, they said nothing of it. Instead, he was aloud to approach the man sitting at a table counting rubles without any trouble. He waited for the man to look up, and when the man saw his eyes, Alexander had been recognized. Both men knew this. Yet the man with the rubles did not draw attention to Alexander. He knew that the king came on private matters, matters which he wanted no other to be concerned with.

"I am looking for Hephaestion Amyntor," Alexander said. The man looked at him and shook his head. Alexander figured that he did not speak his language, and that he was not familiar with the name. Alexander decided to improvise. He touched his cheek, to identify his lighter coloring, and then motioned with his hand to about the height of Hephaestion. He then took his own hair, showed the man with his hands that Hephaestion's was longer, and then pointed to the brown of his robe. Still the man appeared to be confused. Alexander then pointed out the door, at the sky, and then pointed to his eye.

The man smiled then. He nodded enthusiastically. He now knew which man Alexander was asking for. The Macedonian had come in yesterday, with a woman, and had asked for a room. He paid well, in golden coins, and the woman told him that they wanted privacy. The woman was paler than the man was, but she had spoken perfect Arabic. It was odd, the man found few white people that spoke his language at all, let alone fluently.

"Back room," the man said, pointing Alexander in the direction. But before Alexander was out of sight, moving even, the man put up a hand. He then put a finger to his lips. "Ask to be alone."

"I am a friend," Alexander assured the man. He gave him an honest smile, and the man nodded. He then put his hand down. Alexander took that as a good sign. He then walked away, into the back room. Many of the rooms only had beads covering the door, but the one in the back was a wooden door.

As he reached the door he forgot everything that he had planned to say. Instead he knocked, and waited. There was no response at first. Yet he then heard Hephaestion rise, from bed he thought, and heard him come to the door. Hephaestion opened it, and before Alexander could say a word, Hephaestion had shut the door. Alexander knocked again. Hephaestion opened the door, shook his head, and then shut the door again.

Alexander opened the door this time, and shoved Hephaestion back. He then shut the door behind him. This was not how he had planned for things to go. He thought the words would have come to him, and that Hephaestion would have listened, but it had come to this. He was forcing his way back into Hephaestion's life.

"Just listen," Alexander said. He moved the only chair in the room against the door. He jammed it so that no other would be able to enter. Alexander then pulled the robe and hood away from him and tossed it onto the chair. How Hephaestion had known it was he, he did not know. It must have been the same way that he could listen to the rustling of fabric and know from behind a door that it was Hephaestion moving.

"I am tired of listening," Hephaestion said. He tried to go for the door. Alexander grabbed both of his forearms though and shoved him back. It was a bad idea to try and force Hephaestion to do something. But the man had the patience of a saint and did not immediately hit Alexander.

"Don't say that," Alexander said.

"Why," he shot back. "Have you stopped hating me already? Are you here to take me back? Too bad Alexander, I'm not coming back. I'm not your slave."

"I don't want you to be," Alexander said, and noted that Aryse was not here. He could not imagine where she was. But he knew that he had to do something to get Hephaestion to listen to his explanation. "I love you Hephaestion, only you. I always have and I will never stop loving you. You have to understand why I was so angry when you told me about Aryse."

"No, I don't have to listen to any of your explanations. I don't care anymore Alexander. Do what you want with your life. I won't be in the way anymore."

"Phae," Alexander began, but was quickly cut off.

"Don't call me that. I hate that name. You've always called me it, but I hate it. I don't want to be Phae. My name is Hephaestion."

"Hephaestion," Alexander whispered, crushed.

"Get out Alexander, find your happiness elsewhere. It should be easy for you. You have plenty of minions to fill your bed," Hephaestion said as he tried to push past him. His words cut, as they were meant to. It was as if he had Olympias coaching him from the other side of the small, cramped room. As he tried to push past him Alexander grabbed him and tried to push him back.

This time Hephaestion fought back. As Alexander pushed against him, Hephaestion grabbed him, and shoved him back. Hephaestion was strong, but Alexander was fighting for something, and it gave him more strength. It was not enough though. Hephaestion easily flung him into the door as if it were nothing. Alexander fell to the ground, and as much as it hurt Hephaestion, he did not help him up. Instead he just stood there.

Alexander got up, in a furry, and quickly rammed Hephaestion in the gut. As he did Hephaestion, caught off guard, fell back into the edge of the bed. It caused Hephaestion to fall back. Alexander continued to try to hold him down as Hephaestion maneuvered, trying to throw Alexander off him. Even as he kicked Alexander in the chest, and Alexander fell back, the king got back up. He rammed Hephaestion again, this time drawing a groan from him.

"I was jealous," Alexander said as he fought with Hephaestion.

Hephaestion grabbed him by both forearms and pushed Alexander off of him. Alexander was pushed to the side. Hephaestion then straddled him. He wanted Alexander to leave. Fighting him was tearing him apart. He loved Alexander, but he needed him gone. He needed him out of here, now, before he broke down and cried.

"I don't care," Hephaestion said. Suddenly Alexander swung an arm, hitting Hephaestion with a fist square in the jaw. He shoved Hephaestion off of him. He then crawled back on top of Hephaestion. Hephaestion continued to wriggle beneath him and Alexander put his forearm over his throat. The other arm he put over Hephaestion's right arm, and held him down the best he could.

"I hate you," Hephaestion said as he continued to flail wildly. He managed to throw Alexander off of him again. This time Alexander fell off of the bed and onto the floor. The persistent king got off of the ground though. Hephaestion grabbed him and pushed him into the wall. Dust and chips of dirt fell off of the wall, and Alexander screamed in pain. Nothing was broken, but a large bruise would appear on his back by tomorrow.

"I hate you too," Alexander assured him as he pushed him back. He used all of his strength to turn to the left. He then tossed Hephaestion into a wall. Hephaestion was far less pained by this and moved before Alexander could reach him again. Alexander was quick though, and he leapt at Hephaestion, wrapping his legs around Hephaestion's as he pushed him onto the bed.

Hephaestion tried to fight beneath him but Alexander was doing a wonderful job holding him down. He grabbed a fist full of Hephaestion's hair and then pressed his lips against Hephaestion's. When their lips parted Hephaestion tried to hit him. He punched Alexander hard on the side, his ribs, and Alexander returned the gesture by kneeing Hephaestion in the gut.

"I was jealous," Alexander stated as Hephaestion rolled on top of him. He punched Alexander in the jaw. Alexander fought back though. Alexander reached up and grabbed a long lock of Hephaestion's hair. He tried to pull it, but Hephaestion hit him again, this time on the chest. He then pressed his lips against Alexander's.

"I don't care," Hephaestion replied, as Alexander bit his lower lip. This caused Hephaestion to kiss him again. Alexander wrapped an arm around Hephaestion's neck and pulled him down on top of him. Hephaestion tried to pull away, but Alexander wrapped a leg over Hephaestion's back, and pulled his hips back down. Hephaestion broke the kiss, and Alexander tried to kiss him again, but Hephaestion bit his lower lip hard. Alexander could taste blood in his mouth. It did not matter though, he pulled Hephaestion's face back to his, and pressed his lips hard against Hephaestion's.

Alexander grabbed the cloth of Hephaestion's shirt and pulled it hard, tearing it down the center, and pulled it away from Hephaestion. Hephaestion still fought him though. He grabbed Alexander's hand and pushed it away, hardly pushing it against the bed. But it took both hands to try to keep Alexander away from his pants. Yet before he could stop, he had pulled Alexander's garments away from his. The clothes on both of their parts were torn and would not be sewn back together though. It did not matter though for their rage had become their passion.

Alexander still held Hephaestion hard against him. As Hephaestion tried to free himself from his grasp, which should have been easy because he was on the top, he felt Hephaestion's erection grind against his own. Somehow Hephaestion was able to pull away from Alexander, but Alexander would not let him go. Instead, as Hephaestion tried to stand, Alexander pushed Hephaestion's back against the bed. He then was on top of him, and held him down.

Alexander brought their lips together. As he did Hephaestion still struggled. Yet his protests were becoming less and less. Now all he could do was wrap a leg around Alexander's. He tried to kick him, just once, but then found himself kissing Alexander back. He put his free hand on Alexander's arm, and pulled him closer, wanting to take all of his mouth with his.

Just as violently as everything leading to this had been Alexander grabbed Hephaestion and pulled him to him. Hephaestion bit Alexander hard on the neck as he forced himself inside of him. Alexander seemed to growl as he forced himself even deeper into Hephaestion. Meanwhile, Hephaestion clawed at his back.

Alexander put a hand on the small of Hephaestion's back. He pulled Hephaestion closer to him, causing the both of them to cry out. Hephaestion bit at his neck, his breathing very uneven, and each gasp he took he winced. As Alexander forcefully thrust his hips against Hephaestion he leaned down and kissed his chest. He kissed all of him, and with his other hand he took the back of Hephaestion's head, and pressed his lips against Hephaestion's. He kissed him wildly, not wanting this to stop.

Hephaestion's needs were tending to. Alexander's hips ground against his own erection until he came. Alexander continued to kiss wildly at him until he too came. As he did he cried out Hephaestion's name. He then put his forehead to Hephaestion's, and used one hand to hold himself up, and the other he wrapped in Hephaestion's dampened hair. He breathed heavily upon Hephaestion, and Hephaestion breathed just the same.

"Alexander," Hephaestion said between gasps, "I was lying…when I said…I wouldn't…and that I…I love the name Phae."

Alexander knew what it all meant. Hephaestion would come back with him. He would bring Aryse with him, and she would give him a child, but it did not matter. Hephaestion loved only Alexander. Alexander breathed heavily and he brought his lips back to Hephaestion's, kissing him softly.

"I'm sorry," Alexander whispered.

"Alexander," Hephaestion laughed, still gasping, "get off of me before you fall off."


	15. An Unneeded Vessel

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 15, "An Unneeded Vessel"

A/N: Hope that everyone is still enjoying. My muse just keeps speaking, so I hope that we can put up with him! Again, thanks for all of the support, readers and reviewers alike. You all are great, especially Queen!

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Cassander felt something slide against his thigh. At first, he liked the feeling, and he liked it when it reached his chest. It was cool, and lightly grazed his skin, causing him to stiffen in areas that all men did when they were touched this way. However, when he opened his eyes and looked down at his chest he cursed loudly. He rolled quickly, causing the snake to dart off of the bed. It slithered quickly under a dresser. Cassander tried to catch his breath as he listened to Olympias laugh.

She put a finger on his chest and ran it up and down. She then kissed him lightly on the lips. He was still catching his breath. His heart was beating like a rabbit's. It was enough to make her laugh. Cassander put his head back though, and cursed quietly again.

"Good morning," Olympias said as she crawled on top of him. She began to kiss his chest. She then slid her hand down, beneath the sheets that still covered him, and stroked him where he desired to be touched. She continued to kiss him, and stroke him, until he rolled himself upon her.

"Indeed," he replied as he brushed a lock of hair away from her face and gently kissed her forehead. "Sleep well?"

"Not as well as you."

Cassander kissed her softly on the lips. Deep down Olympias knew that perhaps there was something wrong with this relationship. He was younger than her, and was loyal to her son, but she had to see past that. She loved him, oddly enough, and none of that mattered to her. She smiled, liking having him with her, this close to her.

"Where is Alexander," Cassander asked as he kissed her throat. He played with the soft flesh he found there until he was sending shivers down her spine. Olympias laughed, and tried to move from under his grasp playfully. Playfully he took both of her hands and pinned them above her head. He then continued to kiss at her neck.

"He went to get Hephaestion," Olympias asked. She laughed heatedly as Cassander playfully bit at her. She wriggled, but continued to tell Cassander the details of the day. "He should be back soon though, so you should make yourself presentable."

Cassander glanced down at his nudity. "Is this not good?"

"I doubt Alexander will find it appealing," Olympias teased him. She was only teasing, but Cassander knew that she had a point. Alexander wasn't interested in him as he was Hephaestion. Cassander knew what Olympias meant though, and he left the bed and began to dress himself.

"Cassander," Olympias whispered quietly as he was finishing putting his shirt on. He looked over at her, and she sat up in the bed. There was a hint of yearning in her eyes. "Will you come back tonight?"

"Of course," he replied with a sly smirk.

He came back to the bed and kissed her once more before he left the room. He would not have to go back to acting as if everything with him were normal. Yet it was not. He knew this, and he thought it would be easy for others to see. He was in love.

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Olympias entered the room quietly as to not distress the babe or anyone surrounding him. She was glad to see Hephaestion when she entered the room. It was he who currently held Hephander in his arms. The small infant had grabbed onto Hephaestion's strong finger with his small hand and was not ready to let go it seemed. Olympias grinned slightly. It was Alexander and Hephaestion's child, not Roxanne's. She would never have the chance to play mother to the babe as long as Hephaestion was around.

"Come here," Alexander said when he saw Olympias standing back. She came closer, as he beckoned, so that she may better see the infant. He had golden hair like his father, and his eyes were a dark blue. Olympias knew that those eyes had come from her genetic line, but did not mention it aloud. Alexander surely knew this as well. His skin was tan, not light like his father, or dark like his mother. He was somewhere in the middle, but would pass as a Macedonian before he did a Persian.

"He is beautiful," Olympias said.

"Here," Hephaestion said as he shifted the child in his arms, "try holding him."

Olympias took the child. Yet Hephander did not let go of Hephaestion's finger. Instead he held on and once he was in Olympias' arms he was still clutching Hephaestion. Olympias laughed at this. It was the first time Alexander had seen her so soft in his life. It was as if she were a completely different person.

"He is beautiful," she repeated.

When Roxanne entered the room from wherever she had been Olympias looked up at her. Suddenly something gripped at her heart. It was the way that Roxanne looked at the babe, and then at those that surrounded him, that made her uneasy. Olympias narrowed her eyes, hoping that Roxanne would see the threat they held. It was Bagoas that entered after Roxanne, carefully carrying a bowl, that looked Olympias straight in the eyes. With his dark eyes he seemed to scream his thoughts out to Olympias.

_Do Not Trust Roxanne! _

Yes, that was what he was trying to tell her. Olympias looked down at the babe and then back up at Bagoas. Without moving his head he nodded at her. It was in the way that he looked at her. Yes, do not trust Roxanne, he said again with those dark orbs. Olympias glanced over at Roxanne, saw the way that she looked at Hephander, and it was confirmed. She planned this child harm.

Alexander took the child from her before she could protest though and handed him to his mother. Olympias watched as Roxanne took him, and then glanced up at her. Olympias left the room with Alexander and Hephaestion then, but she knew what she must do. Roxanne had just become an unneeded vessel.


	16. Understanding Hephaestion

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 16, "Understanding Hephaestion"

A/N: Once again, thanks to all. Hope you are still enjoying.

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Alexander pushed himself onto an elbow so that he could better look at Hephaestion. He ran a finger over the line of his jaw. For some time he just traced Hephaestion's features, and Hephaestion bless him, just sat there watching Alexander do so. His cerulean eyes were centered on Alexander, but Alexander was more concentrated with tracing the line of his jaw, his lips, his nose. It was as if Alexander was discovering him all over again for the first time, as if he were blind even.

"She knows," Alexander whispered as he continued to trace the lines of Hephaestion's neck and shoulder. He did not have to state who he was speaking of. He was speaking of Aryse, and Hephaestion knew this as well. But bringing her up no longer meant anything between the two of them. She was Aryse, a friend and companion to Hephaestion, and Alexander was going to have to accept that. She was, after all, carrying Hephaestion's child –his child too. It was ironic really, that it had taken Hephaestion one try to do what it had taken Alexander years to do.

"I told her where I was going," Hephaestion replied. He enjoyed the touch of Alexander's fingers against his body. Something had changed in Alexander, he noted. He was soft now, touching him as if he were that fragile. There was something about the tenderness in the way that he had been with him tonight, made love to him tonight, that made Hephaestion want to stop speaking and do it all over again.

"But does she know?"

"I told her everything," Hephaestion assured him. He kept his eyes on Alexander's face. He continued to touch him, lightly, sometimes returning to the same spot on his chest to feel him again. "I told her long ago Alexander, when I told her of our childhood in Macedonia. All of my stories have you in them though, and I trusted her, so I told her about us. I told her everything Alexander, about how I knew that I loved you, our first time, and almost every time after that. Without you there is nothing in my life to tell."

Alexander smiled softly, but at the same time his smile was sad. Hephaestion wanted to hold him, to whisper sonnets into his ear, and whisper that everything would be fine. Never would he be separated from Alexander. What he had with Aryse was different, so different. He loved her, yes, but she was not Alexander and would never be. He thought that Alexander had known this, had understood it before. But while he thought this, Alexander thought as well, and he did understand Hephaestion. He knew why he loved Aryse, where he stood in Hephaestion's heart, but he would be a fool not to still worry.

"Phae," Alexander whispered.

"What is it Alexander? I can see it in your eyes. There is something that you have wanted to say for weeks. Just tell me what it is. Please, do not shadow me from your life."

"I would ever do that Hephaestion. For you are my life." He kissed Hephaestion lightly on the lips, and only pulled away so that his lips would move, and he then whispered what he wanted to say. "Phae, don't stop loving me as you do now."

"Never," Hephaestion said as he placed a hand on Alexander's cheek. He let his thumb rub against Alexander's flesh. He felt the warmth there. Oh, how he wanted Alexander to understand so that he would stop worrying. "Alexander, I love you. I will always love you."

"Its not you Phae."

"Do you not trust her?"

"No," he whispered, "it isn't even Aryse. I don't know how to explain it. It isn't that I don't trust her, or even you. I know that you love me. But –god, it's this feeling that I can't seem to get past. I know that you love me, and that I love you, and that nothing will come between us. I know it. Yet, there is something else."

"You fear what would happen if I didn't come back one night," Hephaestion said as he propped himself up on an elbow. It was his turn to begin to trace the features of Alexander's face. When he finished tracing each individual area, the brow, the lips, he kissed him. "You know somewhere deep in your soul that I will come back, yet you still fear it, the uncertainty. Because deep down, in that same part of your soul, you know that if I were to leave you would be powerless to stop it?"

Alexander sighed as Hephaestion kissed his brow. He wanted to have him this close forever. He wanted to be locked in this moment for the rest of his life, with Hephaestion lying beside him, touching him and only him as if there were no others in the world. He wanted Hephaestion to be his and only his. He did not want to share him with anyone, not even the gods.

"Yes," he answered. He looked at Hephaestion then. How could he have pulled the thoughts from his head? But Hephaestion only blushed and glanced away. When he looked back, Alexander had figured it out. Phae had felt the exact same feeling when he had taken Bagoas, and Roxanne, and perhaps even Stateira.

"Do you remember when we were boys, the summer when you found the fossil in the cave?"

"Yes, why?" Alexander meant nothing by his asking. He remembered, just wondered why Hephaestion chose to bring up the memory now. Hephaestion continued to play with his hair, but at the same time his tale.

"You were different then," Hephaestion said. "I had just begun to fall in love with you and I thought perhaps that it was wrong. First, I did not know if it were permitted for a man to love a man in the way that I found myself loving you. I did not love you the way I did my mother or father, but I loved you in a passionate way, and I lusted for you. I went to bed every night, dreaming I was wrapped in your arms, or touching you in some other way.

"It was so wrong then Alexander, for me to think such things. But I loved you, and I began to stop caring that it could be wrong, or that you were a prince and I was not worthy of you. I wanted only you Alexander. That day, when you asked me to come with you to the caves, I knew it was wrong. Everyone had told you never to venture that far. But I had to go, not really to protect you as my role quickly became in your life, but just to be with you.

"As we scavenged that cave, I found myself desiring only you. Then you found that rock, and told me there was a creature in it. Do you know that I believed you even before you forced me to look?"

"You were probably the only one," Alexander agreed.

"Even Aristotle did not believe you when you told him. Instead he scolded you first, telling you what you already knew. 'Don't go to the caves,' he said. Then you looked at him, and told him exactly what you thought of that. 'My good man, there is no area that Alexander will not venture'.

"I should have known then where your future would lead you, but I didn't care then. I loved you and wanted only you. Eventually Aristotle looked at it though, proclaimed it to be a fossil, and then congratulated you on your find. He believed you then, after seeing what you held in your hand. That is what separated me from him that day, because I believed you just because you had said it to be so.

"I never have stopped believing in you Alexander. You said when we were older that you would be the first to enter Persia, and take it from whatever king ruled it. You said many things like that, and once it began, many laughed. Many did not believe it would be possible for you and your small army to take over Persia. Yet you did, and I believed you. When you said that you wanted to go further, I knew you would, and I agreed to follow you into India.

"I never stopped believing, and I never stopped following you Alexander. I still will not stop. I will follow you to Arabia, as you so desire, if only you ask it of me. I will believe in whatever dream you tell me, no matter how demented it may seem. But to you know what I will do before all of these things Alexander? I will love you, and I will never stop. I vowed it long ago and even if you were to kill me with your own hands, I would go to Hades in the Underworld, and I would tell him that I loved you."

Alexander stared at Hephaestion, looking into the depths of his eyes. Hephaestion could take any of their childhood tales and make it bring tears to his eyes. There were tears there now, as he wrapped his arms around Hephaestion and held him. He loved Hephaestion in the same way that Hephaestion loved him. But sharing him had never been part of his plan.

"Alexander," Hephaestion cooed into his ear, "I have to stop following you, just for this one matter. I have to do something for me. Alexander, for once, please follow me somewhere. Let me lead the way for just a little while."

Alexander nodded, still holding Hephaestion close to him. "I will go along with you Hephaestion. For you are me, and without you I am nothing. Marry the girl, and have children with her. But promise me that you will always love me, even if we never share a night like tonight again and we grow apart, promise that you will love me still."

"Alexander, I will love you always. But I cannot promise such to you, because I refuse to even think that we could grow apart. I promise you my heart and my love, and my soul. It will always be yours. I will always be yours. There is nothing that will separate us."

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Three months had passed and many things had changed. Olympias looked around the ceremony as Hephaestion Amyntor was being wed to Aryse. She saw first Drypetis, whom Hephaestion had released from all of her wifely duties to him. She stood with a man that looked very much like Bagoas. The man had his arms around her and she looked happier than Olympias had ever seen her. All said the same thing about her.

There was also Roxanne. She held a four- month-old infant in her arms. The child was amazingly beautiful. He had the spirit of his father though. As a grandmother this worried her, but Alexander could not be happier with his son. Hephander was constantly with him, or if there were an emergency, he would be with Hephaestion. Only few times had he been placed in the care of Bagoas or Aryse. This was only when there was no way for Alexander of Hephaestion to take him with them to meetings or out of town and such.

Roxanne was a fright. She looked terrible, and her spirit was much the same. Olympias had told Alexander of her fears of the woman. Alexander said he would take it into consideration. Yet, even though he really was telling her that he could not believe her, he took Hephander away from Roxanne that very day. Roxanne had never been alone with the child again. Instead she was constantly watched with the child, sometimes when she herself did not even know it.

There was Hephaestion, who was becoming a man. He had already been a man she supposed, but now he was considering his own life. He still hung on everything that Alexander said, did, or thought. But at the same time, he had a pregnant wife. Aryse's belly was beginning to grow and she had the glow of a woman with child. Already Olympias could see by the way her belly grew that she carried a daughter. Most men would have wanted a son, but she knew that Hephaestion would welcome a daughter as if she were gold.

Already she had had dreams of what would become of that daughter. She would look like her mother, but have the heart of her father. Thus, she would be much desired by many young suitors. Yet they would stand no chance against Hephander, who would grow to be the most hansom suitor of them all. Not to mention he would love her like his father loved her father.

She looked at Alexander, who stood very close to Hephaestion and held the ring that Hephaestion would place on Aryse's finger, and smiled. She smiled for Alexander, because he did not seem hurt. Instead, he smiled as if he too were finally happy for Hephaestion. Perhaps he finally had begun to understand where Hephaestion's heart was leading him. In his understanding, it had only brought the two of them closer.

But Olympias then looked to Cassander. He did not see her at the moment. He was raising his glass to toast to Hephaestion and Aryse. The toast was led by no other than Alexander. As she watched Cassander, she found herself wondering about the way of things.

What is it that makes a man or a woman fall in love? It certainly could not be the work of the gods, for they would make sure that everyone fell in love at some time in their life. They would not give love and then take it away so easily. What was it then? Was it the way they spoke, or the way they walked, or just the feeling that you would get when around them? Or could it be something far simpler perhaps?

Olympias did not know, but she knew that she did not have to know. She only had to be in love. It was something that she had vowed not to do when she had married Philip. She had kept her promise and never loved him, not even a little. Yet she had somehow fallen somewhere on the way and found herself in love with Cassander.

It didn't matter that he was younger. It didn't matter that he was a Companion to her son. It did not matter to her what others would think. It did not matter if it were wrong or right anymore. She knew only that she loved Cassander, and that was all she needed. It was all anyone in the world needed. Perhaps that was what Alexander had meant when he had wrote to her, saying that he would unite the world, and that then it would all be clear. Did he mean that he would unite them, in love?

Olympias raised her glass as Alexander finished her speech. He was thirty-three now, and was at the height of his life. He had everything that he could possibly want at the moment. He had a son, and someone that loved him, and an empire that any would be proud of. He had the world. But what he really had, was love. Olympias drank deeply from her glass, thinking that everything was perfect in this moment.

She did not know how her life would end. She did not know what would become of her and Cassander, of Hephaestion and Aryse, of Alexander, of Roxanne, or of Hephander. Yet she knew that it was love that kept her waking every day. It was what kept everyone waking. If there was not love in the world then there would be nothing sacred, nothing worth getting out of bed in the morning for. The world would be a vast abyss of nothingness.

So she drank, drank to love, and to the world. She looked around the ceremony once more. There was nothing that could be better. She then looked at Alexander, and he saw her and raised his glass to her. She dipped her head, showing her respects to him. Life was perfect. Where it would go from here, she could only imagine.


	17. Where Life Led

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 17, "Where Life Led"

A/N: This is the beginning of the end, the last two chapters. It has been great putting this all together. I appreciate all of the reviewers and readers. Again, thanks to Queendel, who has given me the most in depth reviews. I hope that everyone enjoys where this fiction goes. Thanks again. Baliansword

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Hephander was now sixteen. It was summer, hotter than the last if he remembered right, and things were changing. He noticed that he looked at her in a different way now. He was looking at everything a different way now. No longer did he think of Alyssea as the scrawny little girl that he was forced to play with. She was something different to him now.

It seemed as if overnight her black hair had become darker, more voluminous, and it seemed to touch her cheeks in a different way. Those stray ringlets had always done such. Now it drove him mad though and it was not annoying. Her cerulean eyes had a shine that they had not before. They were no longer just her father's eyes, but her own eyes. It annoyed him greatly.

He wanted to be close to her. He wanted to touch her. But most of all he wanted to feel what it would be like to put his lips to hers. But Aphrodite be cursed he could not do that could he? She was Alyssea. He had grown up with her. He had been her friend for as long as he could remember. Their fathers were friends for crying out loud.

But there was something inside of him that told him it would be okay. It was almost like a muse was singing to him, telling him what to do. So he did as he thought his heart would like. He walked up to her, on this hot summer day, and kissed her. To his surprise, she kissed back.

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Olympias and Aryse sat weaving. Both of them had finished speaking long ago. They each were worrying about their own things. Olympias glanced up as Aryse reached for her stomach. Aryse glanced over at her with a smile. Olympias smiled back but then went back to weaving.

This would be her second child with Hephaestion. Alexander had perhaps been the most delighted of all. Olympias had been told immediately. Now, after carrying the child for seven months, Olympias confirmed that this would be a son. Hephaestion had not cared either way, or so he had claimed, but Olympias could tell that it was a son he wanted this time. He would, however, have not been disappointed with another daughter.

Olympias continued to weave. As she did, she worried about what was happening in Arabia. Alexander had decided, when Hephander and Alyssea were older, that it would be good to take Arabia. He still had the entire world. Why he needed Arabia she could not imagine. Yet he had the soul of an eagle, and eagle of Zeus, and could not be caged for long.

Hephaestion had gone willingly, as had all the rest of the army. This meant that Cassander had gone as well. She continued to weave the dark red fabric together and sighed quietly. She missed Cassander more than anything. She so badly wanted him to come back to her. Sometimes she dreamt late at night that he would crawl into her bed and hold her. When she awoke there was no one there though.

Aryse worried for Hephaestion as well. Yet she had always known that some day Alexander would go to Arabia. She had also known that Hephaestion would quickly follow him. Olympias thought that she would be angry. Hephaestion had a family, soon another child would come, and he would need to be around. But Aryse had not been angry at all, not even a little hurt.

She knew that Alexander and Hephaestion were one. It had never bothered her. Hephaestion had never treated her like she was second best. She was his wife, and she was glad to be, but at the same time she knew that she was not Alexander. When Hephaestion had come, he had seemed grave, and worried of what she would say when he told her of Arabia. However, she had smiled, and wished him well.

Olympias worried for them. She worried for Alexander, Hephaestion, Cassander, and even the rest of the men in Arabia. Alexander was her son, and she missed him so much. She thought, he was forty-nine this year. She laughed thinking of how old that made her. She even reached up to touch a wrinkle on her face. She had aged well though, for Cassander swore that he still loved her every night before he left for Arabia.

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Bagoas glanced over at Hephander and Alyssea. A slight smile came to his lips. They loved each other deeply. He thought of Alexander and Hephaestion then. They had loved each other the same way. It only made sense that their children be together. Speaking of which, he was supposed to be watching them to make sure they weren't kissing as they were now.

It was hard to deny love though. So he winked at Hephander, and then turned and walked away. He went far from the palace, knowing that Hephander knew his manners and would behave fine without him. He was walking when he caught sight of another young soldier that had been too young to go to Arabia. The young boy smiled at him, and Bagoas smiled back.

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Aryse continued to weave. She thought of her husband, and wondered how things were going in Arabia. She had not received word from him in some time. It worried her but she tried to remain calm. Sometimes it took a long while for word to get back to Macedonia, where she was now.

To keep her mind off the worries of war she thought of Hephander. He was a man now. She knew that any day he would be asking to join his father in Arabia. The thought scared her. She feared that it would brake Alyssea's heart. Yet she knew that her daughter was strong. Perhaps Hephander would not go to Arabia, for there would be no shame in it. Alexander would not mind either.

She looked up, something out the window catching her eye, and saw an eagle. It screeched, and then swooped down. Olympias' head shot up and she looked out the window as well. When the eagle flew back up into view, it held a snake in its clutches, and it flew off towards the setting sun.


	18. Arabia

Title: "After Ecbatana"

Author: Baliansword 

Chapter: 18, "Arabia"

A/N: This is the last chapter. I hope that you enjoy. Thanks again to everyone who made this possible, especially my muse, for without you there would have been no story.

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The sun shone down on the desert. Blood stained the sand. The dust from the running horses was enough to make any man choke. It did not worry Alexander the Great though, for nothing scared him. He raised his sword and called out orders to the men around him. He then charged out. The fighting was intense, and when he was knocked from his horse he got up quickly.

As he fought he tried to keep all thoughts from his mind. He swung his blade low, cutting men in half. Things had changed it seemed. This war was not like the others. Now, every man he killed seemed to scream out to him as they fell to the ground. They were all the children of a proud pair of parents, husbands, friends to others. Killing was no longer the same. These thoughts were pushed into his head, and he did not see the group of men as they approached it seemed. Hephaestion saw them well though.

"Alexander," Hephaestion cried out as he tore through a group of fighting men. As he did an Arabian managed to cut him deep across the chest. Hephaestion only turned and drove his blade through the man's throat. He then continued, screaming for Alexander all the while.

He reached Alexander, throwing himself upon him to knock him down. It was then that the blade slid into his back. Alexander screamed now, and tried to get Hephaestion off of him. Hephaestion was still stronger than he was, even now, and he held him down. Alexander's screams drew the attention of the Companions and they all made way for this congested area.

Alexander pushed Hephaestion off of him, and in doing so a blade was shoved deep in his chest. He reached out, grabbing a knife from the bloodied ground, and threw it at his attacked. The blade lodged between the man's eyes. He fell to the ground dead. Alexander then looked back down at Hephaestion.

"Hephaestion," he screamed. Hephaestion looked at him, but at the same times his eyes held a far off look. He smiled when he took in the sight of Alexander though. But when he saw the blood spilling from his chest, he frowned.

"Alexander," he said with panic clear in his voice. He tried to sit up, and managed to. He then put his hand over Alexander's chest. Tears began to form in his eyes and he was crying. His tears washed down his cheeks, clearing them from blood and dirt. "Alexander what were you thinking?"

Alexander pulled Hephaestion close to him. "You're the fool Hephaestion. You bloody fool, look at you! You're bleeding far worse than me."

Hephaestion looked down at his own chest. He could see that the blade had done its job. He could see his skin tearing it seemed. He recalled his back being cut as well, but could not see it. His face was paling, but only Alexander could see that. In all truth, Alexander was fairing far better than he was.

"Oh," Hephaestion said as he reached down and touched his bleeding stomach with his hand. He noticed that it didn't hurt. Was it supposed to hurt? Perhaps it wasn't that deep. "I hadn't noticed."

The fighting continued around them as Alexander pulled Hephaestion up. He began to pull him with him through the path that Cassander and the others were carving out for them. When they were almost to where Alexander thought nothing could touch them, an Arabian drove through the Macedonians. Hephaestion saw him first, and pushed Alexander to the ground. Alexander fell, and then turned onto his back just in time to see Hephaestion stop the man's blade with his arm. The blade sunk deep, and when Hephaestion hit the Arabian, Alexander noted that the blade was still stuck deep in his arm.

Hephaestion turned to Alexander, and fell to the ground. Alexander scrambled to him. He pulled him to him, resting his head on his lap, and looked down at him. Tears were filling his eyes. This had been a mistake. He should never have wanted Arabia. He should have stayed in Macedonia and grown old with Hephaestion, watching their children grow.

"Phae," Alexander said through his tears. He noticed that Hephaestion wasn't looking at him. He was looking at the sun instead. Alexander put a hand on his cheek and turned him to face him. "Phae look at me."

"Alexander?"

"Yes," he cried. "Don't do this to me Phae. Don't leave me. You promised, we said we would die together."

"Am I dying?"

"Phae," Alexander screamed as Hephaestion began to close his eyes. The color had drained from his face. He looked as he did in Ecbatana. This was the second time that death was coming for him. "Hephaestion!"

As he screamed it an Arabian broke through the lines and drove a sword deep into his back. Alexander was pushed forward. Blood poured from his mouth. He did not see Cassander brake through the line and lop the Arabian's head from his shoulder. He did not see anything other than Hephaestion. His cerulean eyes had opened.

"Together," Hephaestion whispered as he took Alexander's hand in his. Tears were still streaming from both of their faces. They pressed their hands together firmly and looked at only each other as their eyes began to shut. There could not have been a better way to die.

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Cassander entered the room silently. Olympias looked up from her chair. She leapt up and ran to him, throwing her arms around him. Aryse looked up from her seat as well. She held a young babe in her arms. Her smile fell though when Hephaestion did not enter the room as well. Olympias sensed it to, but she had known, and she looked at Cassander as tears began to fall from her eyes.

He handed her only a rolled piece of parchment. It was from her son, who had won Arabia, and the entire world. But Alexander had done not only this. He had loved. He had lived. He truly was Alexander the Great.


End file.
